


With You

by jjokkomi



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 09:33:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 28,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6149182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjokkomi/pseuds/jjokkomi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyungsoo has a child and Jongin doesn't care.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> based loosely on this video here ([x](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPtOm9UXfnU)). you can watch before but it would spoil the plot a little?
> 
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> pairing: kaisoo; kid!xiuhan  
> rating: pg-13  
> genre: fluff, slight!angst, romance; college!au, parent!au, age switch (there's no mpreg just so you know, fyi)

The afternoon lunch rush always sucks on campus. The lines are as long as Sehun’s dick (Jongin saw it once and it was on accident and he vowed never to shower with his best friend ever again) and the food isn’t even worth it. Seven bucks for a sandwich and that’s not even including chips and a drink. Fucking bullshit.

So Sehun suggests they go off campus for lunch today and well, he’s got no complaints with that. They end up going to a small little diner about ten minutes from the school. It’s quiet and not too many people are there and he’s thankful.

Dance classes are kicking his ass and he just wants some peace and quiet. They pick seats near the back and start looking over their menus before the waiter gets there and asks what they want to drink.

Sehun automatically orders milk, like the child he is while he orders a sprite, not bothering to look up because he’s trying to find the cheapest meal on the menu.

“Make sure you tip when we leave,” Sehun speaks up as soon as the waiter leaves to get their drinks.

“I don’t have money _to_ tip,” he grumbles. His budget is five dollars and he’s not about to spend an extra two or three just for some waiter. He’s in college too; he has no room for sympathy.

“Dude, the waiter is Do Kyungsoo.”

“Who?” he questions, never once hearing the name before and not giving one damn who their waiter is. He doesn’t have money to even buy himself new shoes that he needs desperately, let alone tip someone he’s never even heard of. His parents limit his allowance since they pay for his apartment.

“He’s in my physics class. He has a four year old.” Sehun says not so quietly considering this Kyungsoo guy is in hearing range.

“That’s _Luhan’s_ age,” he emphasizes, eyes widening in shock. How is it possible that someone has a kid the same age as Sehun’s little brother?

“I know, just make sure to tip him something.” Sehun rushes out as Kyungsoo comes up to ask if they’re ready to order.

“Can I get a kids meal? Or is that strictly for kids?” he asks sheepishly, earning an eye roll from Sehun. “I’m kind of on a budget,” he confesses, wincing when he gets kicked in the leg.

“Well how old are you?” Kyungsoo questions seriously, and Jongin takes him in for the first time. His face is young, definitely has to be around his age, cute button nose, wide round eyes and plump cherry colored lips. His heart skips a beat and he stares stupidly before being kicked again.

“I’m twenty,” he confesses, giving a sheepish smile.

“Well, today you’re twelve. What about you?” Kyungsoo looks towards Sehun and he sighs in relief. The children’s meal is only about four bucks meaning he can at least leave a dollar in addition to what Sehun will leave behind.

After their orders are taken and Kyungsoo is waiting on another table he turns back to Sehun to get all the details on this Do Kyungsoo. There’s no way he can be a father.

“Does his girlfriend work here too?” he questions, knowing that the guy is probably taken if he has a four year old. Wife perhaps? That would certainly suck on his end.

“He’s on his own,” Sehun says apathetically, giving a sad sigh before leaning forward. “From what Baekhyun tells me it’s just him and his kid. His parents kicked him out when he was younger so he’s been on his own ever since. No one really has a clue about the mom, who knows. She probably dumped him with the baby or something. He’s always working or in class, I seriously don’t see how he does it, _especially_ with all the nasty rumors about him.”

“Rumors?” he questions, messing with his straw while trying to sneak glances as Kyungsoo cleans a nearby table out of hearing range.

“You have a twenty one year old with a four year old son, there’s bound to be rumors about it. I’ve seen the kid once though. I guess he couldn’t find anyone to watch him or something and the professor let him sit in during the lecture. Kid was adorable as hell,” Sehun laughs, and Jongin’s reminded that he does indeed have a soul.

They spend the next several minutes talking about classes and an upcoming party their friend is throwing. Jongin seriously doesn’t want to go. But Baekhyun is going to be there so he kind of has to be Sehun’s wing man for the night.

“Here you go,” Kyungsoo quietly interrupts their conversation, handing them each their plates and on his part a cup with a lid and straw that leaves Sehun snorting. “It comes with the meal.” Kyungsoo explains before giving him a tiny smile and leaving.

Jongin watches him go, eyes lingering on his back until he’s out of view and Sehun is clearing his throat obnoxiously.

“You _like hi_ m,” Sehun smiles, nearly laughing when Jongin’s face turns a bright shade of red.

“I don’t even know him,” the older boy argues, eating his chicken nuggets and huffing in embarrassment. Sehun just rolls his eyes, a hint of a smirk gracing his lips. “He’s looking at you.”

“Really?” Jongin beams, eyes lighting up before his entire face falls when Sehun laughs at him. Some best friend.

“He’s got a kid Jongin, let it go.”

He frowns, looking around for the waiter one last time before eating.

After they finish they wait around for their tab and his face falls when they get an entirely new waiter. He frowns as he takes in his face and nametag. _Joonmyun_. Where did Kyungsoo go?

Awkwardly he clears his throat before moving to ask. “Uh, sorry I don’t mean to be rude but --”

“He went home early, something came up,” the new waiter interrupts. “Sorry I’m not as handsome as our lovely Kyungsoo.” He chirps, the comment sounds light but his attitude is completely different. In fact he seems kind of annoyed.

He blushes and shakes his head in an attempt to explain himself. “I don’t --”

“Also he said not to bother leaving a tip. He doesn’t take charity. Here’s your ticket and have a nice day,” Joonmyun gives them the fakest smile he’s ever seen before taking off.

Both he and Sehun share a guilty look before paying for their meal.

Kyungsoo heard them.

 

\--

 

Jongin feels bad for the rest of the day and the remainder of the week too. Sure they didn’t say anything _directly_ insulting but he’s worried he seemed like a douche. Kyungsoo probably thought he got a kids meal just so he could tip him. Which is partially true but it wasn’t the only reason.

He just wants to explain that he really only had five dollars and it’s not like he was entirely hungry that day either, something to make him seem like less of a snob.

Sehun just tells him to let it go but he ends up going back to the diner on Saturday, if only to explain himself and apologize.

It’s morning and he’s not even sure Kyungsoo will be working but he takes his chances and finds a seat towards the back again, sitting at a table beside a booth and waiting.

A cough disturbs his thoughts and he looks to his right to see a tiny little boy with the cutest chubby cheeks he’s ever seen. The boy has adorably wide but sharp eyes, his nose twitching cutely before he sneezes.

He’s all alone in the booth but he has a blanket and a book in his lap. He’s cuddled up in the corner with a carton of milk and a plate of pancakes on the table that look half eaten.

“What are you doing here?” Kyungsoo’s voice startles him and he looks up with wide eyes, heart beating erratically in his chest for being caught staring at a child.

“I’m not a pedophile! I _swear_!” he blurts out leaving Kyungsoo’s own eyes to widen even more than they already are. Oh shit. “I mean I was just looking because he’s cute but not in that way! I like adults, kinda like you but I don’t like you! Shit. I mean shoot! I’m sorry,” he finishes, out of breath and confidence.

Kyungsoo is still just staring at him blankly so he tries for attempt number two.

“I’m sorry if you overheard us the other day. It was rude to gossip and it wasn’t charity, well maybe on my friend’s part but I mean. I was only going to give you a dollar. That seems more like an insult to me and I’m just…sorry.”

He bites his lip as he waits for the older boy to say something, anything really.

“You ordered the kids meal. I wasn’t expecting anything from you to be honest. I just thought you were cheap,” Kyungsoo admits, giving him a sheepish smile and his stomach flips.

“I’m just broke,” he supplies, returning the smile and swooning when Kyungsoo lets out a deep chuckle. “But I’m also Jongin,” he introduces himself, holding out a hand that Kyungsoo takes after eyeing him for a while.

“Kyungsoo,” the elder replies, giving him another smile that he swears makes his heart skip a beat.

“Daddy?”

A squeaky little voice interrupts them and he looks to his right where the little boy is sitting. Then it clicks that the boy is Kyungsoo’s kid and he feels so incredibly stupid.

Kyungsoo rushes over to where the toddler is sitting cutely, his blanket pulled up to his chest shyly. The boy sniffles a couple of times and Kyungsoo pulls a napkin from the dispenser on the table and holds it up to the boy’s nose instructing him to blow.

“I’m going to wash my hands,” Kyungsoo says, looking back at him before turning to make sure the boy is okay. “I don’t even make the food either.”

“It’s fine,” he disregards, waving to the little boy when their eyes meet.

“He’s really shy,” Kyungsoo admits, sighing before standing back up. “But I’m sorry. Did you want to order something?”

“Oh uh,” Jongin splutters stupidly, looking down at his menu and biting his lip.

“Eggs and toast is the cheapest,” Kyungsoo supplies, leaning back over when the little boy tugs on his sleeve.

“Okay, can I get a cup of water too?”

“You really _are_ broke,” Kyungsoo laughs but he writes it down on the ticket. His face flushes but at least the elder has seemed to have forgiven him for the other day. He moves to go but the little boy whines, rushing to go after his daddy with teary eyes.

“Minseok ah, you have to stay here.” Kyungsoo chides gently, squatting so that he’s eye level with the four year old. “Daddy has to go work.”

“No,” Minseok huffs stubbornly, an adorable pout forming on his lips and Jongin nearly coos because it’s so cute.

“I can watch him,” he supplies, earning a shocked look from Kyungsoo. “I have tons of nieces and nephews. I’m seriously not a pedophile,” he rushes out, biting his lip again as Kyungsoo gives him a once over before nodding.

“He’s not feeling well today but Joonmyun couldn’t make his morning shift. I get off in thirty minutes anyways, so um, if you could?”

“Sure!” he chirps, smiling and waving to little Minseok as Kyungsoo sets him back in his seat. He gets up from his table and sits across from him in the booth. He waves again and says a cheerful hello causing the boy to shrink in on himself and look towards Kyungsoo worriedly.

“He’s going to keep you company, okay?” Kyungsoo speaks softly, completely different from his normal talking voice that sounds like chocolate and he finds it really charming for some reason. “Jongin here likes SpongeBob, don’t you Jongin?” the older male gives him a pleading look and when he sees how Minseok’s eyes light up he nods his head.

“I love SpongeBob!” he chirps and he’s not even lying. That show is his _life_.

“See, talk to him about Gary and I’ll be back in a little bit.”

Minseok nods his head obediently and turns to him and after Kyungsoo sends him a thankful look he’s off to work leaving the two of them alone.

They stare each other down for a while, Minseok eyeing him for the longest time so he speaks up.

“You like Gary?” he questions, looking towards Minseok hopefully and giving a sigh of relief when he nods his head, a bashful smile on his lips.

“Meow.”

Jongin could squeal at how adorable the four year old is meowing and giggling like it’s the funniest thing ever. Minseok is adorable, he probably has diabetes now.

Minseok has a very large vocabulary for a four year old and once you get him talking he doesn’t stop. Going on and on about SpongeBob and some cartoon with air bending, whatever that is. He pauses every now and then to sniffle before continuing. He’s so entranced in his conversation he doesn’t even see Kyungsoo come and drop his plate off before getting back to work.

The thirty minutes fly by and he doesn’t realize that Kyungsoo is sitting next to Minseok until the little boy sneezes and he’s reaching over for another napkin.

“I can get you a to-go box for that,” he says, wiping the little boy’s nose again. “I’ll wash my hands first.”

“Sure,” he says, watching as he stands up and heads back to the workers area again. “It’s just you and your daddy?” he questions the little boy, receiving a nod in response.

“Joonmyun hyung is my babysitter,” Minseok sniffles, his nose twitching cutely before he lets out a tiny cough. “But he has a girlfriend now. She doesn’t like daddy,” he whispers quietly, eyes starting to look droopy.

Kyungsoo comes back too soon for him to question the little boy further. He says a grateful thank you as he gets handed a small styrofoam to go box where he puts his eggs and toast. He only got in a bite or two in-between listening to Minseok.

“I normally don’t leave him with strangers, just so you know.” Kyungsoo says uncomfortably, moving the now sleeping toddler onto his lap.

“Oh, uh, I’m not judging. I would probably hand over my youngest nephew to anyone if it meant he would stop biting me,” he supplies, realizing he sounds like a dick he panics. “I mean not that I would ever hand Minseok over to anyone because he bit me. I like him! But you know, not like _that_ because he’s four but he’s incredibly cute and you can trust me! I swear I’m not a pedophile and _god_ I need to quit saying that. Shit. I sound stupid. I mean shoot! I just. Ugh.”

Kyungsoo just smiles at him, an amused look on his face that makes him feel like he’s in high school all over again. He’s such a stuttering mess.

“You get flustered easily,” Kyungsoo says with a laugh, shaking his head and moving to finish the cold pancakes that Minseok left. He hasn’t eaten since last night and even then it was leftovers from earlier in the week.

“It’s a curse,” Jongin replies sadly.

“I think it’s cute.”

He doesn’t mean for it to slip out but it does and now he feels incredibly uncomfortable. So he just clears his throat before taking another bite of cold soggy pancake.

“Th-thanks?” the younger boy squeaks, face heating up at the comment.

“I can pay you, for watching Minseok. You probably have better things to do than watch some random kid on the weekend.”

“I really don’t.” Jongin replies, a smile forming on his lips. “I can uh, watch him whenever. You know if you can never find a babysitter. I’m a dance major so I kind of don’t have real homework.”

“Are you taking pity on me or trying to use my son as an excuse to date me?” Kyungsoo lifts a brow and gives him a pointed look.

“I didn’t mean it like _that_!” Jongin rushes out, getting flustered all over again.

“Oh.” Kyungsoo says plainly, looking a little put out and he curses his parents for coddling him too much when he was little because he sucks at talking to people he likes.

“No, I mean, I would never pity you. That’s just rude, I barely even know you. But uh, a date would be nice?” he stutters out, trying not to get his hopes up because Kyungsoo probably thinks he’s loose in the head now.

“I _do_ need a new babysitter,” Kyungsoo says slowly over a mouthful of pancake, reaching for Minseok's leftover milk and finishing it off. “Joonmyun is pretty unreliable these days.”

“Minseok mentioned him,” he says, leaving out the part about his girlfriend not liking him. It’s probably not his place to say anything.

“I barely know you though. No offense but I only agreed to let you watch him because I’m here and I could kill you easier if you did anything to hurt him.”

Jongin winces but tries not to be upset by that. It’s true, they do barely know each other.

“Sorry if that came out rude but it’s just he’s my little boy. I can’t help it.”

“It’s fine, I completely understand,” Jongin replies. Parenthood is complicated and he could totally see why Kyungsoo wouldn’t want some stranger watching his kid.

“But Minseok did warm up to you awfully fast. He’s usually shyer than that.” Kyungsoo admits, looking down at the sleeping boy and running his hand through his hair and checking his forehead to make sure his fever isn’t back.

“I think SpongeBob had a lot to do with it to be honest.”

“He’s obsessed with that show, so yeah, probably.”

They both share a small laugh before latching into silence and he shakes his head, biting his lip as he looks over at Jongin. He’s conflicted because Joonmyun is one of the only people he trusts with Minseok but he can’t be bringing him to work because the elder is hung over or because his girlfriend is being a snob.

The reality is he needs to find a new babysitter and its odd how Jongin came in at the right time. Things like this don’t usually come easy to him. He’s skeptical, but he’s willing to try.

“What are you doing next Tuesday?” he questions.

Jongin pauses, looking up and trying to remember if he has any rehearsals for that day but he comes up blank. Those are usually on Monday and Wednesday.

“Nothing, I have classes in the morning but I’m free after twelve.”

“I usually do my grocery shopping on Tuesday,” Kyungsoo explains, rubbing Minseok’s back as he coughs lightly in his sleep. “It could be a test run. You watch Minseok while I'm at the store and if you don’t screw up we can go from there?” he supplies.

“Sure!” Jongin says cheerfully, excited at the prospect of seeing them both again.

“I’ll need your number so I can text you my address,” Kyungsoo says so he hands over his phone, blushing when he realizes his background is a picture of Monggu in a doggy sweater.

“You have a puppy?” Kyungsoo asks with an amused smile that makes his stomach flutter. That can’t be good.

“Yes and no. He’s mine but he lives with my parents now. I can’t afford to take care of him yet,” he says sadly. His misses his dog like crazy, only able to see him on the weekends or holidays.

“He’s cute,” Kyungsoo comments playfully, typing in his name and number before calling himself. Afterwards he gets his phone handed back to him and deciding that being a gentleman will leave a good impression, he walks Kyungsoo to his car out back.

“So uh, I’ll see you Tuesday?” he questions after Minseok is buckled into his booster.

“Tuesday,” Kyungsoo confirms, giving him a small smile before getting into the driver’s seat, waving with a smile before taking off down the road.

He definitely shouldn’t be sad this early on into the game either, but he mopes as he heads back to campus, willing the weekend to go by quickly.

 

\--

 

“Don’t you think you’re kind of rushing into this?” Baekhyun questions out of nowhere, looking up from his paper and waiting expectantly.

They’re all in the library trying to study and he tagged along because Sehun gets nervous around his crush. He’d much rather be texting Kyungsoo but he supposes he has to be a good best friend considering it was Sehun who made him go to the diner in the first place.

And almost everyone has given him the exact same talk, Jongdae, Taemin, Tao and Baekhyun adding himself to the list right now.

“I’m _babysitting_ , I don’t see why everyone is making such a big deal about it,” he whispers harshly, flipping through his history book and highlighting what he deems an important date.

“He has a kid Jongin. Don’t you think that’s a little too complicated to get tied into?” Baekhyun presses the matter and he feels his hand twitch in annoyance.

“Why does him having a kid even matter?” he finally snaps, sick of everyone giving him shit for no damn reason other than the obvious. He’s not blind. He can see Kyungsoo has a son.

“Because, idiot, he got dumped with that kid for a reason. Do you not even stop to think _why_ the mom isn’t around? For all you know it could be because of him. Who’s to say he’s not some huge asshole that drove her away?”

“And did you come up with this all by yourself or are you just as stupid as the rest of the people that talk shit behind his back?” he sneers angrily, collecting his books in plans to just leave before Baekhyun seriously pisses him off.

“Just don’t come running to me when you realize it’s a bad idea or you get hurt,” Baekhyun states sternly and if he were any less of a man he’d punch him in the face.

“Your boyfriend is a real bitch, Sehun.”

He shakes his head and stomps his way out of the library with plans to go eat his feelings.

What’s so wrong with wanting to be friends with Kyungsoo? Baekhyun doesn’t even know him to making all those assumptions.

They lied when they said drama doesn’t exist in college. It’s _worse_ and Baekhyun and all the other people that spread rumors about Kyungsoo are just prime examples.

“Jongin wait up!” Sehun calls from down the hallway so he pauses in his spot, grinding his teeth together in annoyance. His mood is completely ruined for the day.

“I swear to god if you try defending him I’ll kick you in the dick,” he snaps right away. He can’t believe Sehun likes such a snotty asshole.

“Look, what Baekhyun said about him was totally out of line but he has a point Jongin.”

“You’re agreeing with that asshole?” He yells causing several people to look over curiously.

“I’m not saying that!” Sehun huffs out, trying to keep Jongin calm enough so he doesn’t attract unwanted attention. “I’m sure Kyungsoo is a nice guy but Jongin you can’t seriously be thinking about getting into a relationship with someone who’s a dad. It’s just stupid.”

Jongin pauses, not saying a single word as he stares at his best friend, at a loss with what to even say.

“I’m really disappointed in you, Sehun.” Is what he settles with before walking away, not believing his best friend would even state such a thing.

If this is what he gets for just trying to get to know Kyungsoo, he hates to think about how the elder gets treated himself.

 

\--

 

The rest of Monday passes by slowly and he does a good job avoiding his friends, opting to study for his only real class before going to bed early. Tuesday comes and by the time he’s ready to watch Minseok his mood is back to normal.

Kyungsoo lives about fifteen minutes from campus in a small little apartment complex near the local Walmart. The place is nice but there’s no gate and you can tell the rent is probably cheaper than say the other complex down the road.

Nervously he heads towards building three, climbing up a flight of stairs until he’s in front of door 221. He straightens out his shirt, cursing himself for not changing into something else before bringing his hand up to the door and knocking.

Patiently he waits, swaying back and forth on the balls of his feet as he hears a loud “Just a second!” He’s even practiced a greeting because he was so nervous about coming over to watch Minseok but when Kyungsoo opens the door, hair dripping onto the towel around his shoulders he kind of blanks out.

“Hillo. I m-mean hello. I think I mixed hi with hello and why do I even try anymore?” he sighs deeply as Kyungsoo starts laughing at him, holding the door open wider and inviting him in.

“Are you sure you’re not fifteen?” Kyungsoo questions him with an amused smile and well, he might as well be with the game he has.

“I think my interacting skills never progressed from high school.”

“Well your looks probably did,” Kyungsoo says like it’s nothing and he tries to push down the blush threatening to grace his cheeks. Does that mean Kyungsoo thinks he’s hot? Is he even gay?

Oh god, what if he isn’t and he’s getting himself ready for the friend zone. Shit.

“Minseok is eating a snack in his room, so I’ll give you a tour?”

“Sure.”

He nods his head and follows after Kyungsoo into the kitchen where he’s told where everything is in case Minseok gets hungry again. The living room is adjacent and it’s not that big. An old couch and an average sized television occupy it along with a corner bookshelf with toys surrounding it.

There’s only one bathroom and it’s in the hallway near the bedrooms. Minseok has the smaller room on the right while Kyungsoo’s is on the left. Although he says it’s dirty so he doesn’t get to see it. Minseok’s room however is like a shrine to SpongeBob, pillow cases, blankets, toys, even a little Gary alarm clock.

“I told you he was obsessed,” Kyungsoo whispers before calling the boy on the floor over to say hello. Minseok eyes him wearily but bows and gives a proper greeting that leaves him impressed. Sehun doesn’t even bow that well.

“You remember Jongin from the diner?” Kyungsoo gets down to floor level, wiping away some cracker crumbs from the corner of his mouth.

“He likes squidward!” Minseok giggles in response, nodding his head happily before looking back at his daddy.

“Is it okay if he watches you while I go to the store? Daddy won’t take that long,” Kyungsoo promises. Minseok pouts, wanting to go with his dad but he nods his head nonetheless.

“Can we watch television, daddy?” Minseok pouts even further, his tiny hands coming up to his chest nervously.

“Of course, baby.”

Minseok squeals in excitement, jumping up and down before rushing over and dragging Jongin to the living room.

“I have the SpongeBob squarepants movie Jongin hyung, can we watch it?” Minseok questions, looking up with doe eyes and how can Jongin say no to that?

He looks towards Kyungsoo and receives a nod in response. “Just nothing inappropriate, otherwise television is fine.”

“So that’ll be a no to Fight Club?” he questions for laughs.

“There is no fight club.” Kyungsoo winks and dear god, he might be the coolest dad ever. “Minseok daddy’s leaving okay? You behave for Jongin.”

“Yes daddy,” Minseok says obediently, leaning up to peck Kyungsoo on the cheek as he gives him a hug.

“I should be back in an hour. You have my number if you need anything.” Kyungsoo states before leaving. Minseok waves goodbye sadly, looking upset that he can’t go.

Then it’s just the two of them left alone, so he coughs awkwardly, no idea what to say. Minseok is still staring at the door teary eyed so he picks him up and leads him towards the living room. “Where’s your movie?” he questions in hopes to distract the boy from his pouting state.

He forgets how attached most kids are to their parents. When he was younger he would cry at the door waiting for his mom to come back from grocery shopping. It must be worse for Minseok considering he only has Kyungsoo.

“I’ll go get it!” Minseok chirps happily, running to his room only to return with the dvd case in hand. He moves to get up and go put it in but Minseok takes it upon himself to set everything up and he’s left impressed again.

“Jonginnie can I have popcorn?” Minseok questions cutely, tilting his head to the side like an adorable puppy.

“Do you have any?” he questions and receives an adorable shrug in response. “Have you had dinner?” he asks next, just in case he hasn’t he doesn’t want the boy to spoil his appetite.

“Mhm, daddy made macaroni and cheese!”

“Well I’ll go see if you have any,” he replies, getting up and heading to the small kitchen. Minseok trails after him and points to a cupboard near the fridge where he ends up finding several personal sized popcorn bags.

After the popcorn is ready and he’s gotten two bowls, one for himself and one for Minseok, he heads back to the living room to sit on the couch.

While Minseok sings the goofy goober song he can’t help but look around the living room. He doesn’t count it as snooping per say, just observing his surroundings. Most everything looks old and a little worn out. Even the couch he’s sitting on is starting to tear in the corners. The bookshelf is what really draws his attention.

Silver and black framed photographs are lined up. Minseok is in all of them, from when he was just a baby up until recent pictures. But what hits him is how there’s no one else. It’s just Kyungsoo and the baby and he doesn’t know why but he feels incredibly guilty all of a sudden for having two caring parents and two amazing sisters.

There are no siblings in Kyungsoo’s photos. There are no parents, friends, family. It’s just a little boy and an equally young man.

The photo that stands out the most though is of Kyungsoo in a graduation gown with a baby Minseok in his hands who doesn’t look any older than a year. How did Kyungsoo manage to raise a child in high school?

Kyungsoo looks way too young to be a father yet there’s a giggling little boy in his arms messing with the tassel on his graduation cap. He wonders who took the picture.

“Jonginnie?” Minseok startles him out of his trance, making him twitch slightly before looking down at the little boy.

“Yes?”

“I’m tired,” Minseok yawns cutely, snuggling up to his side. He sets his bowl of popcorn onto the floor in opt to pull the little boy into his lap, rubbing his back until he hears light snoring.

The movie is long forgotten by the four year old so he turns it off and pries his phone out of his pocket to pass the time. Before he knows it he’s getting drowsy as well, the heat radiating off Minseok making him sleepy. Slowly he drifts into a slumber without even realizing it.

 

\--

 

Kyungsoo think he’s never had a true friend since Minseok was born. He graduated top of his class but he didn’t have anyone to celebrate it with. No friends or significant other congratulating him for getting into a good college and earning himself a scholarship.

No parents to give him hugs or kisses, no happy tears were shed other than from his neighbor Ryeowook. The only person that gave a damn about him after Minseok was born was him. After his parents kicked him out and completely disowned him, Ryeowook took him in.

He watched Minseok while he was in school, trying his hardest to pass his classes and ignore the rumors and judgment.

Having a child in your junior and senior year of high school was something people liked to scrutinize, pick the person apart until they’re nothing left but an insecure mess.

At school he was Do Kyungsoo, the school’s only teenage father that got diapers shoved in his locker as jokes and beat up once or twice for being “that guy.” He was out casted, put down by anyone with a mouth and scolded by the teachers for no reason other than he had a child.

At home was what kept him going. At home he was _daddy_ , or rather “dada” until Minseok could pronounce it properly. At home he mattered.

All the hits he took were replaced with sloppy kisses and hair pulling by an overly excited baby. Minseok made it all worth it. Seeing that cute gummy smile after hours of torture was worth it.

He doesn’t regret it, because it made him stronger but he’s glad that part of his life is over. Those first two years with Minseok were the hardest.

His freshman year in university he tried to start fresh. He got a job and when he was finally able to afford it, he quit burdening Ryeowook and moved out. He tried to make friends but as soon as they found out he had a child they slowly inched away.

Sometimes they stuck around only to stab him in the back, tell pointless rumors about him and he stopped trying after that. Adults aren’t any better than teenagers. They thrive off of making anyone miserable to hide the fact that they’re unhappy themselves.

Now he keeps to himself, ignores the stares on campus and the whispers he thought wouldn’t follow him but they never leave. They’re etched into his entire existence, no matter where he goes they’ll always be there.

The only person he thought would never leave him hanging was Joonmyun but he knows that his girlfriend, soon to be fiancée hates him. She’s always indiscreetly belittled him and of course he just takes it.

Joonmyun is just another bridge starting to crumble and he doesn’t even know why it hurts when it shouldn’t. He should be immune to it now, should know better than to let anyone help him and let them in.

So he has no idea why he’s letting Jongin in. He has no idea why he’s letting some stranger watch his son.

Half of him hopes when he walks through the door to his apartment it’ll be chaos, Minseok will be crying and he can just end it right then and there.

But when he manages to unlock his door, wincing as one of the grocery bags digs into his skin, the house is quiet. There’s not a crying little boy waiting for him by the door. The house is still clean like he left it.

As quietly as he can he sets the load of bags onto the kitchen table, wiping his sweat ridden forehead before looking into the living room.

He pauses when he sees Minseok asleep on Jongin’s lap, the younger boy passed out as well. It’s definitely a new sight and he takes it in slowly. Minseok is never _that_ good with strangers.

After he puts up the groceries he walks over the couch, gently trying to pry the sleeping boy from Jongin’s lap to go lie him down in his bed but he doesn’t get that far.

As soon as he tries, strong arms tighten instinctively around Minseok, a low mumble reverberating from Jongin’s chest in disapproval.

He stares stupidly for several seconds, watching as Jongin's arms tighten around Minseok as he shifts. It takes a lot of prying on his part until he’s finally able to remove the sleeping toddler to go put him in his own bed.

There’s this instinct that sets into gear when you become a parent, it gets programmed into you from the very start. It’s that heart stopping fear when you have no idea where your child is. Endless possibilities all hit you at once making you queasy and scared. Your pulse picks up and your breathing gets borderline erratic.

It’s the exact same look Jongin sports when he finally manages to wake up the twenty year old, eyes wide in fear as he looks around quickly.

“Where’s Minseok? Did I fall asleep? Is he okay?” he rushes out in panic, nearly hyperventilating until he feels a hand on his arm.

“He’s fine,” Kyungsoo says quietly, barely above a whisper and he’s instantly soothed. “You both fell asleep. I already put him to bed.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he apologizes. Having an unnecessary fit probably doesn’t look very appealing to anyone.

“It’s fine,” the older man replies, removing his arm quickly when he realizes they’re still touching. “Did he cry?”

He shakes his head no earning a surprised look from Kyungsoo. “He looked a little sad but he didn’t cry. Was he supposed to?” he inquires, scooting over when Kyungsoo takes a seat next to him.

“Usually he cries when I leave him alone with someone new, which is rare but sometimes I really don’t have a choice.” Kyungsoo sighs heavily as he kicks off his shoes, his feet worn out from walking around the store. He didn’t get a chance to go last week because the electricity bill was higher than usual.

He’s been skipping out on meals for himself in order to keep Minseok well fed and his stomach was growling the entire trip. He probably bought more food than he normally would because everything looked appetizing.

“We just watched a movie and he fell asleep before it was even finished,” Jongin speaks up after a while.

“I never have time to date,” Kyungsoo admits out of nowhere catching him off guard. “I know you said you want to, but I have a lot going on and I don’t want you to get your hopes up.”

“I know,” he replies, shrugging indifferently. “I didn’t watch Minseok just for a date or money for that matter,” he clarifies.

“I don’t like charity, so I’ll pay you,” Kyungsoo rushes out, moving to stand up and go fetch his wallet but he grabs onto his hand and leads him back down to the couch.

“It’s not charity,” he states sternly, no idea where this sudden confidence is coming from. “And it’s not because I want a date either. It’s because it’s the right thing to do.”

“You don’t have to feel sorry for me,” Kyungsoo nearly snaps, “I don’t want you watching my son just because you think you’re doing some good deed.”

“I never said that,” he huffs, getting frustrated at how quick Kyungsoo is to defend himself. But he doesn’t judge. There’s years of damage done that he has no clue about that made him put up this wall but he’s determined to at least make a crack. “Do you believe in fate?”

“What?” Kyungsoo asks stupidly, looking at him like he’s gone mad.

“Do you believe things happen for a reason?” he clarifies seriously, clearing his throat out of nervous habit.

Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything for a while, looking at him silently with brows furrowed and curious eyes but slowly he nods his head.

“I just think that maybe Sehun said something stupid for a reason, and I was supposed to go back to the diner. Your coworker was supposed to call in and you just happened to be there when I had no clue if you would be. I don’t know.”

“That’s awfully deep for something so simple,” Kyungsoo states passively.

“I just feel like I’m in the right place at the right time? I know it sounds stupid but I literally have maybe a hour of homework each night and I have the time to watch him. I’m not the richest person out there but I get by without a real job. You don’t even have to pay me. It works out for both of us.”

“I can’t just let you watch my son for free,” Kyungsoo continues, trying to think of any excuse for this not to work but it’s becoming hard when he even has to pay Joonmyun and they’ve known each other for years.

“Five dollars a week,” Jongin states and he scoffs. “You do know how incredibly stupid that sounds, don’t you?”

“But where else are you going to find someone with enough experience who asks for basically nothing?”

“You’re serious,” Kyungsoo deadpans, “You would watch him for five dollars a week. Even if he cries and whines and I come home late because I have a shitty job, you would still watch him?”

“Like I said, I was at the right place at the right time.”

Kyungsoo mulls it over in his head, realizing he would save tons of money this way and Jongin is more than certified if Minseok didn’t even cry. And well, Kyungsoo’s always believed in fate.

“When can you start?”

 

\--

 

Watching Minseok becomes a routine for Jongin. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are spent in dance classes and rehearsals but Tuesday and Thursday nights are spent at Kyungsoo’s apartment watching the little boy while the elder works.

Occasionally he’ll watch him another day out of the week when this Joonmyun guy screws him over with excuses of a date or something came up. Jongin finds he doesn’t like this dude at all. He’s unreliable and just seems like a complete push over for his girlfriend.

It reminds him of Sehun who finally mustered up the balls to ask Baekhyun out so they don’t talk that often. They see each other during classes but Jongin is almost always too tired to even pretend like he’s listening.

He finds himself more worried about Minseok being at the university’s day care. Are they treating him okay? What if he’s crying because he’s scared and they don’t realize how shy he is?

More times than none he’ll be late to class just to sneak a peek and see if Minseok is doing okay. And he wants to rush in there and take him home when he sees the little boy sitting in a corner all alone with a book in his hand or a toy.

He feels like a jerk when they make eye contact and all he can do is smile sadly and wave because only approved people can make visits.

He thinks to ask if Kyungsoo would mind adding him onto the list but it ends up being a lost cause because on a random Wednesday during the week he sees Kyungsoo on campus with little Minseok waiting in line at the dining hall.

Minseok spots him immediately and his eyes light up, waving enthusiastically before tugging on Kyungsoo’s pants to point him out.

He’s with Sehun and their friends but as soon as the little boy starts running up to him, he ditches them, meeting Minseok halfway and lifting him into the air earning an excited squeal.

“Jonginnie hyung are you going to eat here too?” Minseok questions quickly, so excited he stumbles over his words.

“Mhm, what did your daddy get you?” he questions, sending a smile towards Kyungsoo who turns around for a split second before paying for their meal and giving a tiny bow to the lunch ladies.

“He got me kimbap!” Minseok responds in a high pitched voice, chanting the word continuously until Kyungsoo walks over looking way too worn out for Wednesday afternoon.

“Are you okay?” he questions immediately, noticing how his cheeks look a little thinner and his eyes have dark bags underneath. He shouldn’t look like that when they still have the rest of the day ahead of him and two more days until the week ends.

“I took Minseok out of daycare,” Kyungsoo sighs tiredly, walking over to a table to sit before he just passes out in the middle of the cafeteria. “Well, they kind of made me. I was late picking him up a couple of times and I think the lady was just waiting for an excuse to yell at me.”

Jongin frowns, sitting Minseok down in the seat next to him while Kyungsoo sits across the table. He hands the little boy his bento box and chopsticks and tells him to eat while he listens to Kyungsoo.

“So I’ve had to skip lectures to stay at home with him. Most professors won’t let me take him to class so I’ve been staying up studying to make up for it. Plus Joonmyun quit at the diner so I’ve been talking over his shifts. I don’t even know when the last time I slept is if I’m being honest.”

Kyungsoo sighs lethargically, his eyes drooping, just begging to be shut in an attempt to rest but he can’t afford to right now.

“Daddy I’m thirsty,” Minseok whines quietly, pouting at his lack of juice or milk and he cusses. He knew he forgot something.

“I’ll go,” Jongin speaks up, motioning for him to sit back down as he asks Minseok what he wants. “It’s fine, I haven’t eaten yet anyways.”

“I have some money,” he starts only to be waved off.

“It’s like a dollar for some milk, it’s fine,” Jongin dismisses, getting up and walking over to the nearest line.

He looks over the already prepped food and settles on a sandwich. His parents wired him some money and he can actually afford a big lunch today so he grabs some chips and two drinks before looking back at the table only to realize Kyungsoo has nothing.

So he looks back at the sandwiches, picking out the freshest looking one and grabbing another drink.

“Are you seriously _that_ hungry?” Jongdae questions him, Yixing by his side as they pick out their own bottles of Gatorade.

“It’s not all for me genius,” he states with a roll of his eyes, heading towards the cashier and waiting in line. “It’s for Minseok and Kyungsoo.”

“I thought you were his _babysitter_?” Jongdae questions him. “Not his nanny.”

“I am, but Kyungsoo forgot a drink for him and who knows when _he_ ate last. I’m pretty sure he’s been skipping meals.” Jongin says worriedly, wondering if he needs to pick up a vitamin pack on his way to Kyungsoo’s apartment tomorrow.

“You really like him, huh?” Jongdae remarks seriously. It’s not even a question to any of them.

It’s so painfully obvious to all their friends that Jongin is getting himself in way too deep. Falling for someone who has a child and no time for anything other Minseok, it’s stupid on his end but he keeps going back.

Even if he’s not sure Kyungsoo’s even gay, he goes and falls for him a little more each time. He’s like those stupid bugs that repeatedly fly into a window, thinking that if they keep flying at full force they’ll get in.

Kyungsoo’s that person sitting behind the glass pane living life normally, that huge wall separating him from getting any closer no matter how hard he tries. Asking him about his day and getting short answers. Offering to help out more but getting a simple, “you do enough” as an answer. He’s trying but not getting anywhere.

“Yeah, I do.” He admits although he didn’t even need to. It’s common knowledge that whenever Jongin turns down their group invitations to go out and party he’s at Kyungsoo’s house watching Minseok.

“You should tell him,” Yixing speaks up, giving him a dimpled smile before pointing out he’s next so he places all the food down and thinks it over.

“I’ll think about it,” he tells them, waving to the best of his ability before going back to the table and setting down the food.

“Chocolate milk!” Minseok screams happily, grabbing the bottle and immediately opening it up and taking a chug.

“Minseok don’t yell,” Kyungsoo says tiredly, head resting in both hands with his elbows on the table.

“But why not?” the little boy whines loudly and he doesn’t miss the pained look on Kyungsoo’s face.

“It’s bad manners,” he states for the elder, moving to sit next to Kyungsoo instead. “You have to use your indoor voice, okay Minseok ah?”

“Okay,” Minseok sighs dramatically, going back to his food.

“Here, hyung. I got you a sandwich,” he states quietly, handing over the container as well as a drink. Kyungsoo looks up at him, about to protest but he’ll have none of that. “I’ll take it as a personal insult if you don’t eat it hyung. You’re going to get sick. So eat,” he stresses.

“I don’t even know if I _can_ ,” Kyungsoo croaks out, his voice sounding strained and weak.

Suddenly he realizes how pale Kyungsoo looks so he reaches a hand over to feel his forehead, his stomach twisting in worry when he feels warm.

“Kyungsoo you’re burning up,” he chides, sweeping away his fringe for a better feel, hand moving down to his neck. “You have a fever.”

“I’m fine,” Kyungsoo dismisses, moving away from his touch and weakly trying to pry open the sandwich container.

“Daddy’s sick?” Minseok says worriedly, on the verge of tears as he looks up at the two of them, his wide eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Is it because I yelled?” he chokes out, sniffling before bursting into tears.

“Of course not,” Jongin says quickly, rushing to get up and calm the boy down before he starts _really_ crying. “Remember when you met me and you had a cold?” Minseok nods his head, hiccupping as tiny little whimpers leave his mouth. “That wasn’t because you did anything bad, right?”

“N-no,” he stutters, looking worriedly at his daddy.

“Daddy’s get sick too, it’s not because you did anything wrong. Okay?” Jongin whispers quietly, rubbing his arm soothingly to get him to calm down. “Let’s pack up your food and you can finish when we get to your house, okay?”

Minseok sniffles, wiping his nose with the sleeve of his shirt before nodding.

“Are you going to take care of daddy like you take care of me?” Minseok questions quietly, looking over him in silence. “I’m going to take care of your daddy.” he confirms, getting up and instructing Minseok to put his food into his backpack while he goes over to help Kyungsoo up.

“Jongin I have class,” the elder protests, hell bent on not accepting any help. He may be too prideful but Jongin’s hard headed too.

“You’re sick.”

“ _You_ have class,” he says as a last hope but Jongin just wraps an arm around his shoulders and starts leading him towards the parking lot. “You’re more important than a stupid class Kyungsoo.”

And he doesn’t know what to say after that, all out of excuses to push him away any further he just leans on his shoulder and lets himself be lead.

 

\--

 

After stopping at the store and picking up some medicine Jongin heads to Kyungsoo’s apartment, practically having to carry the elder because he’s so worn out, the lack of sleep and proper meals finally taking its toll on his body.

Minseok follows him around silently as he goes and lays the elder in his bed, pulling the covers up to his chin after giving him his medicine and telling him to rest. Kyungsoo falls asleep automatically and he’s reminded of something he saw on the internet about falling asleep in less than five minutes means you’re exhausted.

“Is daddy okay?” Minseok sniffles as he carries him to the living room, setting him down on the couch and handing him the remote.

“Daddy’s just sick, he’ll be okay in a couple of days.” He explains, crouching down to ruffle the toddler’s hair. “Now watch television while Jongin hyung cleans up, okay?”

Minseok nods obediently and turns on the television, lowering the volume when asked and going immediately to the children’s channels.

He sighs as he takes a look at all the piled up dishes, tiny cups and cartoon plates stacked up waiting to be washed. He doesn’t see one adult sized dish anywhere and its discerning. He finds the dish soap easily, turning on the tap and finding the stopper.

When he’s done he wipes down the counters and the table, suddenly remembering the food from earlier he takes it out of his backpack to put it in the fridge, pausing when he sees it’s completely empty save for a carton of milk and a couple of yogurts. Did Kyungsoo not buy groceries yesterday?

On the fridge being held up by a Patrick magnet is a grocery list, filled from top to bottom. Pausing he stares at it for a while, thinking it over before looking at his bank account. He bites his lip as he budgets in his head, deciding that he doesn’t really _need_ to go on that trip with his dancing class.

Walking back towards Kyungsoo’s room he hesitates to wake him and tell him he’s going to go to the store. In the end he decides against it and instead finds a blank piece of paper, writing a note and leaving it by the elder’s phone before grabbing his keys.

“Minseok put on your shoes.”

“Where are we going? What about daddy?” Minseok instantly panics, eyes wide as he gets handed his velcro sketchers.

“We’re going to go the grocery store while daddy sleeps, okay?”

Minseok nods his head and puts on his shoes, lifting his hands to get picked up. He makes sure to lock the door before leaving and then they’re off.

 

\--

 

Jongin doesn’t even remember the last time he set foot in a grocery store. He lives off of fast food and take out. Neither he nor Taemin cook and he doesn’t even think he’s seen his stove in use. They don’t even make ramyun on it anymore. The on campus apartments are nice since he can still walk to go get food.

So he’s almost confused as to where everything in the store is and if it weren’t for the dangling signs he would be lost. He goes through each aisle and reads over the list, grabbing the brands he remembers seeing and when he’s unsure he grabs what his mom used to buy.

They’re in the cookie aisle when he hears a familiar squeaky voice.

“Sehun hyung look! These have sprinkles!”

He pauses and turns around to see an overzealous Luhan yelling and jumping up and down as he drags an amused looking Sehun towards a box of cookies.

“We should get these ones! Let’s get this! Buy it hyung!” Luhan yells loudly causing Minseok to peek his head around Jongin’s leg, squeaking when Luhan spots him and his eyes widen.

“Jongin hyung!” the little four year old screams, running up to him and completely ditching Sehun who just sighs before running to catch up.

“Jongin look at these cookies!” Luhan shouts before pausing in his spot when he sees tiny hands wrapped around the elder’s leg. “Who’s that? Is he a boy too? Hi!” Luhan yells, trying to get a glimpse at Minseok’s face but the boy hides and they end up chasing each other in circles around his legs before Minseok starts whining.

“Luhan behave,” Sehun sighs tiredly, grabbing his hand and pulling him to his side despite his curiosity. “You’re grocery shopping?” he questions, having to hold Luhan back as he tries to go see who’s clinging to Jongin’s leg.

“I thought you and Taemin didn’t cook,” he questions further, yanking Luhan back as he tries to escape.

“We don’t, I’m shopping for Kyungsoo because he’s sick,” Jongin sighs tiredly, trying to get Minseok to detach himself from his leg.

“Who’s Kyungsoo?” Luhan yells loudly, waving his hands to get their attention.

“M-my d-daddy,” Minseok speaks up, shyly hiding his head behind Jongin’s leg because the other boy is loud and scary.

Luhan beams when he finally talks, escaping Sehun’s grip and rushing over to where the other little boy is staring at him.

“What’s your name?” Luhan questions curiously, getting too close to Minseok’s face for comfort. “M-minseok.”

“You have chubby cheeks!” he says, staring at Minseok’s face in awe. “You’re cute! Can I kiss you?”

“Sehun!” Jongin gripes, pulling Minseok back before Luhan has a chance to actually lay his lips on Minseok’s cheek. Kyungsoo would kill him.

“Luhan behave and quit scaring him!” Sehun snaps and Luhan stills in his spot, large eyes glistening with tears as he gets scolded.

“I just want to be his friend,” he says sadly, sniffling before sitting in the middle of aisle to cry. “You’re a mean hyung! I want mama!” he wails.

Sehun groans loudly, running a hand over his face as he moves to comfort him but to their surprise Minseok is the one to slowly approach him.

“I’ll b-be your f-friend,” Minseok whispers shyly, his hands bundling his shirt up nervously as he keeps his head down.

“You will?” Luhan hiccups, wiping his nose with his shirt before looking up at Minseok happily when he nods. “You can be my best friend!” Luhan chirps, jumping up and pulling Minseok into a hug happily. Minseok squeaks, eyes bugging out of his head as he looks over at Jongin.

“I’m Luhan! Sehunnie is my hyung! Is Jongin your brother too?” Luhan questions loudly, continuing to jump up and down.

“Um…no?” Minseok answers confusedly, looking over at Jongin for help.

“Where’s your daddy? Why is he sick?” Luhan questions further.

“Daddy’s get sick sometimes, Jongin hyung said so!” Minseok rushes out, smiling proudly at remembering what his Jongin told him.

“Where’s your mommy?” Luhan asks curiously and Jongin’s smile drops from his face when Minseok looks confused. Sehun curses Luhan’s open personality, he’s way too hyper for him to keep up with.

“I don’t know,” Minseok says slowly, tiny brows furrowing in confusion. Jongin’s about ready to pull Minseok back to his side, expecting this to get out of hand since Luhan can’t filter when he surprises them all.

“Jongin can be your mommy!” Luhan shrieks excitedly, clapping his hands at his idea. Sehun bursts into a fit of laughter but Jongin’s not laughing.

“Jonginnie, can you be his mommy?” Luhan asks, pulling Minseok over to him and they both look at him expectantly

“Luhan quit,” Sehun finally says, holding out his hand expectantly and Luhan’s shoulders drop before he walks back over to his side. “That’s none of your business.”

“Sorry,” Luhan whines, huffing childishly and picking up the box of cookies and holding them to his chest.

Minseok returns to his side, lifting his arms up so he grabs him and lifts him into the seat on the shopping cart.

“We have to finish shopping, so uh, I’ll see you later?” Jongin questions awkwardly. He hasn’t really talked to Sehun since he first starting watching Minseok and that was almost two months ago.

“Yeah, I think Luhan would like that,” Sehun remarks with a smirk as he watches his little brother try and climb onto the cart to sit with Minseok who’s watching with wide eyes. “C’mon Luhan, mom is waiting for us at home.”

“But Minseok!” Luhan whines, pouting when Jongin picks him up and hands him over. “Can I play with him?”

“Maybe some other day,” he replies with a smile, waving goodbye as Luhan and Sehun disappear down the aisle. He turns back to Minseok ruffles his hair before heading towards the juice aisle so they can hurry up and check out then head home.

He’s looking over the brands for apple juice when he realizes Minseok is tugging on his shirt.

“Do you want a different flavored juice?” he questions, looking over and picking up a grape instead.

“Does Jongin hyung have a mommy?” Minseok asks instead, looking up at him curiously and he pauses.

“Yes,” he answers shortly, hoping Minseok won’t press the matter further because it’s completely not his place to explain this to him.

“How do you get one?” Minseok questions further, biting his lip with his tiny teeth nervously.

Jongin’s chest hurts and he wants to cry in that moment, thinking back on all the times he argued with his mother for nothing and said nasty things he never meant. Because here’s Minseok, alone with just his dad and no mom and he doesn’t know why.

“Does it have to a girl? Can boys be mommies? Where do you get one?” Minseok rambles on.

“I think you should wait to ask your daddy when he feels better,” he ends up saying, not wanting to over step his boundaries. This is something Kyungsoo should be explaining, not him. He’s just the babysitter.

“Okay,” Minseok sulks before going silent for the rest of the trip.

 

\--

 

When they get back to the apartment Minseok helps put everything in its proper place, or at least he hopes. He’s not sure if Minseok even _knows_ what he’s doing when he puts the cereal next to canned corn. But if anything Kyungsoo can fix it when he feels better.

After a while his stomach starts to grumble so he figures he should probably work on dinner. Although he hasn’t cooked in a long time, he knows enough to get him by without burning the apartment down.

He settles on making some chicken and rice, nothing too extravagant but Minseok looks in awe while he’s in the kitchen. At least four year olds are easy to impress.

“Here, come sit at the table.”

Minseok follows quickly, climbing into his chair and sitting on his knees to be able to reach the table comfortably.

“It’s hot, so make sure you blow, okay?” he warns sternly. Minseok just nods his head, puffing out his cheeks and blowing huge wisps of air dramatically causing him to smile.

“What about daddy?” Minseok questions over a mouthful of food, eyes widening when it still ends up being too hot. “Hot!”

“I told you to blow,” he laughs, grabbing the plate and blowing himself before handing it back. “Wait a little for it to cool down while I make your daddy soup.”

“He likes the one with the letters!” Minseok chirps loudly, going back to blowing on his food.

When he’s done and Kyungsoo’s soup is heated up he sets the toddler down in the living room with a towel and lets him eat a popsicle while he goes to try and wake Kyungsoo.

Surprisingly he’s still bundled underneath his blanket, only the top of his hair visible. Quietly he looks around as he sets the bowl of soup down on the small desk next to the bed. There’s not much in the room save for a closet that’s barely half full. His room at home has more things filing it and that’s saying something.

Carefully he sits down on the edge of the bed, lifting the blanket to see Kyungsoo in a peaceful slumber and he thinks just to let him sleep, because who knows when he did last, but he still has to eat so he gently shakes him awake.

Kyungsoo’s eyes flutter open, unfocused and confused before he sits up in alarm. “Where’s Minseok?” he rasps out, eyes wide in panic.

“He’s in the living room, he’s fine,” he stresses when the elder starts heavily breathing.

“What time is it? Why the hell didn’t you wake me up?” Kyungsoo snaps, attempting to shove the blankets off but he doesn’t get very far.

“Because genius, you’re sick and you need your rest.”

“I'm _fine_ ,” Kyungsoo bites out, rushing to sit up only to wince when a headache hits him full force.

“See?” Jongin huffs angrily, pushing the elder onto his back. “You’re sick so sit the fuck down.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes get owlish looking, and to be honest Jongin's surprised at himself for being so assertive, but that surprised look is quickly replaced by anger and annoyance. “Excuse me?” Kyungsoo sneers, a scowl gracing his lips.

His confidence hinders for a moment, because he doesn’t recall every seeing Kyungsoo look angry and it’s _scary_ but he’s sick and tired of his lack to accept any kind of help.

“Get over your goddamn pride and let me fucking help you! I try and I try and all you do is push me away. What the hell is going to happen if you keep going on like this? You’re going to end up in the hospital and then what? Who’s going to take care of Minseok then? So shut up and just let me help you.”

Jongin finishes his rant with an annoyed huff, breathing heavily as he stares the elder down. Kyungsoo doesn’t look very happy to being scolded either but he doesn’t apologize, although he does feel bad when he starts crying.

“I didn’t mean to yell,” he says softly, moving further onto the bed and pulling the elder towards his chest to comfort him. Kyungsoo weighs basically nothing in his lap, his small frame boney and frail. “Just let me take care of you,” he soothes, rubbing the elders back comfortingly.

And all Kyungsoo can do is nod, because he’s so damn tired of everything, tired of work, tired of school, tired of life. And he can’t remember the last time someone put him first, took care of _him_ instead of the other way around. It’s been years and he’s just tired. So he gives in, lets himself be fed and begs Jongin to lie with him before he falls back asleep.

Maybe, the thinks, he doesn’t have to do everything on his own.

 

\--

 

Jongin feels giddy today. His stomach is filled with butterflies and he feels like a teenage girl excited for a date. Which is dumb but he could care less when Tao comments on it.

It’s Friday and for the first time ever he’s spending the night at Kyungsoo’s apartment. Minseok was practically jumping for joy at the prospect of a sleepover while the elder watched on with an amused smile.

Kyungsoo has to open up the diner tomorrow so it just makes sense that he spends the night there. He’s actually going to get to eat dinner with them too. He’s been dying to see Kyungsoo cook, because from the leftovers he eats sometimes, the man is a god in the kitchen.

He’s all done with classes and rehearsals for the day but he still has to stop at his apartment for an overnight bag, plus he needs to shower. He smells like sweat and Chinese food.

“I forget you still live here,” Taemin says as soon as he walks into the apartment. He’s in the kitchen reading over a microwaveable dinner with Sehun and Moonkyu trying to open a bag of pizza rolls.

“Uh, well I do?” he supplies, shrugging his shoulders and turning down the offer to eat with them. “I ate with Jongdae and Yixing earlier.”

“You look incredibly happy for getting yelled at by Professor Jung,” Sehun remarks, eyeing him suspiciously. Jongin got chewed out for screwing up part of their choreography earlier today. Yet here he is with a stupid smile on his face.

“I made _one_ wrong turn, who cares?” he rolls his eyes. He thinks he did well enough considering he skipped the rehearsal in opt to help Kyungsoo out with grocery shopping again. “Oh, I’m spending the night with Kyungsoo. So you can lock the door whenever.”

“Gonna get laid?” Moonkyu inquires with a perverted look that makes him blush while Taemin laughs his ass off.

“I’m having a sleep over with Minseok, you ass!”

“Aren’t you a little too old to be having sleep overs?”

“I'm watching him tomorrow morning. It just makes sense that I spend the night. But we’re making s’mores so be jealous.” He huffs immaturely, sticking out his tongue before heading to the fridge for a bottled water.

“So you watch this kid, do his grocery shopping, and spend the night, but you’re only getting five dollars a week? Don’t you think you should at least be getting some kind of action? Ow!” Taemin whines when Sehun punches him in the shoulder.

“If you’re insinuating that I work for sexual favors I hope you rot in hell,” Jongin frowns.

“Weren’t you just watching this kid to try and get a date out of it anyways?” Moonkyu questions.

“No, well I wouldn’t mind dating him, but I really like Minseok and he’s really attached to me now and do you know he couldn’t tie his shoes before? Well I taught him and he calls me his favorite hyung, even though there’s this Joonmyun guy, I hate him by the way,” Jongin rushes out in one breath.

“You’re rambling again,” Sehun states plainly, shaking his head.

“Oh, well no. Kyungsoo needs my help so that’s what I’m doing, helping him. I’m not doing this just to get in his pants. That’s stupid. I don’t even know if he likes me to be honest. I mean he flirts with me and lets me touch him but—“

“Oh?” Taemin smirks and his face heats up in embarrassment.

“I meant in a friendly manner!” he snaps, frustrated with his friends for being hormonal perverts. “I just, I mean, he doesn’t get annoyed with me anymore and well, he’s certainly nicer than he was before, but I don’t want to ruin things if I tell him I like him.”

Jongin pouts miserably, resting his head against the fridge like a child. Sehun thinks so at least.

“Just go shower, you smell,” he states earning an offended glare.

“I’m coming to you all with relationship problems and you just tell me to shower?” he questions and receives three nods. “I need better friends.”

“You seriously want to get into a relationship with a guy with a kid? You realize if things work out, you’ll be a dad, then what?”

Jongin pauses, never once got that far ahead of himself in his daydreaming. But would it be so bad to have a son? Especially one as cute and well behaved as Minseok?

“We’ve lost him,” Taemin sighs loudly, shaking his head as Jongin gets this goofy smile on his face. “He’s already in love with the dude.”

“I wish he were in love with soap,” Moonkyu grumbles.

 

\--

 

Do Minseok is a perfectionist, just like his dad. He likes everything tidy and well kept. He doesn’t like loud noises (Luhan is the exception) and he gets upset easily if things don’t go his way.

So he’s a pouting mess when his daddy tells him he can’t build a fort in the living room when he already had it all planned out in his head.

He may only be four but Kyungsoo is almost positive he has the mindset of an eight year old. It kind of scares him that next year he’ll be starting school. He would have started this year if it weren’t for the age restrictions.

He’s going to be ahead of his peers, considering he’s already attempting to read. Minseok has always been bright, but despite his knowledge he can still get whiney and act like any other toddler.

Like how he’s throwing a tantrum right now when he’s supposed to be making their supper, just because he said no to the fort.

“Minseok get off the floor,” he scolds. The four year old has thrown himself onto the kitchen tile and is refusing to move until he’s granted his request.

“No!” the little boy yells, wiggling around for emphasis.

“Minseok if you don’t behave you’re not getting dessert,” he warns, about to get really annoyed if the boy doesn’t obey him.

“No! No! No!”

Just as he’s about to start yelling, there’s a knock on the door that interrupts him. Luckily for Minseok his scolding gets put on hold.

When he opens the door he can’t help but laugh at Jongin who’s got on a backpack and is holding is a pillow. He looks like a child ready for a slumber party.

“Do I have something on my face?” he panics, his hands going up to rub at his cheeks.

“No, you just look adorable,” Kyungsoo tells him and he blushes from his neck to his ears.

“Thank you?” he questions, clearing his throat and kicking off his shoes. “Where’s Minseok?”

“Being a brat on the kitchen floor,” Kyungsoo grumbles.

“I want a fort!” Minseok screeches, finally off the ground only to start stomping his feet.

“Minseok I told you to behave!” Kyungsoo snaps, losing his patience. He had a long day filled with two exams and he just wants to eat and lie down.

“No! You’re a mean daddy!” Minseok yells, sticking out his tongue.

“Hey!” Jongin yells, effectively scaring both him and Minseok. “You don’t talk to your father that way,” he scolds loudly, Minseok's eyes widening in fear because he’s never been yelled at by his Jonginnie before. “No you apologize and then go wait in your room.”

Minseok’s eyes get teary and his bottom lip wobbles, and he instantly feels guilty when he starts crying. Tears stream down his face as Kyungsoo goes to pick him up and takes him to the living room for a time out.

“I made him cry,” he pouts, staring sadly at the sniffling toddler in the corner by the bookshelf.

“He was being a brat, don’t worry about it,” Kyungsoo says, worriedly looking over at Jongin who just might start crying too.

“But I yelled at him!” Jongin whines, following Kyungsoo into the kitchen where there’s a pot of boiling water filled with slowly cooking pasta.

“Kids need to be yelled at sometimes, you didn’t do anything wrong,” the elder comforts him with a pat on the shoulder before he starts looking for a cheese grater.

“I guess,” he breathes, looking over to the living room only to see Minseok fell asleep. He must have been cranky then but still. He’s never yelled at Minseok before. His nieces and nephews, all the damn time. He doesn’t even feel bad when it’s with them but this is _Minseok_ and it certainly can’t be normal.

He doesn’t dwell on it too long though. Those thoughts can easily spiral out of control so instead he watches Kyungsoo. He looks happy, his face is a healthy shade for once, his eyes don’t have dark circles and his hair even looks shinier.

“You got fatter,” he remarks, panicking when Kyungsoo looks over at him with an offended glare. Why is he so stupid? “I mean you gained weight! In a good way! Not fat, I mean, I could probably fit your thigh in my hands.”

Without thinking his arm goes towards his love handles where he can feel his hip bones but it’s not as bad as it was before. However he gets shoved away with a snort, Kyungsoo’s face red as he bites his lip.

“Are you ticklish?” he inquires, smirking when Kyungsoo rapidly shakes his head.

“No! You surprised me is all,” Kyungsoo states, backing up with his spatula in hand. “I’m not ticklish.”

“So if I grabbed you again you wouldn’t care because I warned you this time,” Jongin states, closing in on him as he bumps into the counter. He swallows thickly and nods his head, closing his eyes tightly and snorting again when he feels hands on his hips.

“Not ticklish?”

Jongin squeezes his hips and he splutters, letting out a laugh while trying to escape but it’s futile. The younger boy has him cornered with no exit. His sides are being attacked while he lets a very unmanly squeal, snorting and trying to breathe but that’s getting pretty hard. So he does the only thing he can do, hit Jongin on the head with the spatula.

“Shit!” Jongin curses, letting go immediately to rub his damaged skull. “What was that for?” he whines, rubbing his hair to ease the pain.

“You wouldn’t stop!” Kyungsoo defends himself, setting the spatula down on the counter to apologize.

“You could have just asked! Hyung that hurt!” the younger boy continues to whine and pout, looking like a kicked puppy.

“Would have really stopped if I told you to?” he questions seriously. Jongin looks guilty before shaking his head, letting out a soft no. “That’s what I thought.”

He sighs and pulls Jongin closer, leaning up and pecking him on the cheek. Jongin’s eyes get abnormally large and his cheek tingles where the elder’s lips were.

“Better?” Kyungsoo questions, his own cheeks a light shade of pink as he looks down.

Hesitantly he lifts the elder’s chin, biting his lip while he tries to keep his confidence going. He swallows the lump in his throat before leaning downwards, heart beating erratically in his chest as their noses bump.

And all the romance movies and books he’s read weren’t lying about those damn fireworks. Because he certainly sees them when their lips touch, his insides melting and his brain going dead and all it can process is Do Kyungsoo and how soft his lips are and how his lungs feel tight.

It ends all too quickly when Kyungsoo pulls away, a bashful smile on his face as he _giggles_ , shaking his head with a laugh before going to work on the lasagna they’re supposed to be eating by now.

Jongin isn’t sure what that means, but he’s willing to find out.

\--

Bad days happen quite often when you’re in college. It’s law that you’ll have a shitty day at least once a week.

The coffee lines will be long and when you finally have that beloved cup in your hands, you’ll spill it all over your brand new t-shirt on your way to class only to find out, it’s been canceled and if you weren’t such a lazy ass in the mornings you would have checked your emails.

So you’re already in a shit mood, but you decide _maybe_ some breakfast will help. But then you end up burning your tongue on pancakes from hell and you just know your day is fucked up.

Jongin is having one of those days and it gets worse when he drops his phone in the toilet, sprains his ankle trying to rush up the stairs and somehow gets gum stuck to the bottom of his brand spankin’ new Nike’s.

Everything that could go wrong that day _did_ , and he wants to cry away the stress but he’s supposed to watch Minseok so he doesn’t. He pushes the urge down and goes on with his shit day.

By the time he makes it to Kyungsoo’s house he has no idea how he’s going to put up with the four year old since he’s been really hyper all week. He just wants to fall asleep on the floor and have Minseok walk on his back because it’s killing him.

He knocks on the door tiredly, struggling to look alive as Kyungsoo opens the door, his eyes wider than usual.

“I’ve been trying to call you all day,” the elder says with a frown, opening the door wider to let him in.

“Today I learned never to leave your phone in your back pocket. It’s dead. Took a trip into the toilet,” he says tiredly, peeling his shoes of and wincing when he turns his ankle the wrong direction.

“I was trying to tell you I took the night off, so you didn’t have to come over,” Kyungsoo explains, catching him when he stumbles to take off his other shoe. “Are you okay?”

“You ever have one of those days where you wish you could sleep away everything?”

“My entire senior year,” Kyungsoo supplies with a straight face. Jongin doesn’t question it, too tired to press the matter further. “C’mon, I already made dinner.”

“I’m too tired to eat,” Jongin groans, leaning on him and if it weren’t for years of holding Minseok in one hand and something heavy in the other he would have fallen. But he supports Jongin’s weight long enough to get him to his bedroom and set him on his bed before getting in after him.

“Where’s Minseok?”

“He’s asleep in his room, his allergies have been acting up again.”

“Oh,” Jongin yawns before shuffling closer to Kyungsoo, personal space be damned he’s so tired and he just wants to cuddle. “Why didn’t you go to work?” he mumbles, mere inches from the elders lips.

“I had a feeling you needed a break.”

Their noses bump as they both lean forward at the same time, their lips automatically parting to form a lazy kiss.

They’ve been teetering back and forth, testing the waters and Jongin isn’t sure what to call this exactly, random kisses and lingering touches, open flirting and teasing.

It’s been going on for about a month and his rational side is telling him to confront the elder about it, ask what the hell they’re doing and if they should stop. But he’s love struck too, doesn’t want to ruin whatever they’re doing by trying to label them. He’s content with having Kyungsoo kiss his stress away, he’s fine with their groping and grabbing never going anywhere.

He’s fine with it, he can settle for being Kyungsoo’s _whatever_. But he can’t help but wonder what it would be like to call him his boyfriend so he asks if only to ease his mind.

“Do you, uh,” he pauses, the words getting stuck in his throat until Kyungsoo’s lips wander to his neck and he knows he needs to talk now because he won’t be able to in a little bit. “Do you want to be my boyfriend?”

Kyungsoo stills immediately and he clenches his eyes shut as he waits for the verdict. He only reopens them when the elder instructs him to before pulling him into another kiss.

“I’ve never had a boyfriend,” Kyungsoo states quietly as the break apart, breathing staggered and heart beats erratic. Kyungsoo always makes him feel like this.

“Okay.” He swallows thickly, staring the elder in the eye silently and letting him have a chance to explain before he assumes the worst.

“I’ve dated before,” he goes on, opting to stare at Jongin’s lips because his eyes are too intense right now. It makes his insides squirm happily yet he’s filled with confused anxiety. “But I promised myself I would never bring someone into my life that would screw me over in the end. I can’t just think about myself or what makes me happy. I have to think about Minseok too.”

“I know.” Jongin smiles reassuringly, eyes tired but hopeful.

“We’re a packaged deal,” he continues, clearing his throat and bringing his hands up to trace over a coffee stain on the younger boy’s pale blue shirt (he’ll have to wash it later for him). “Minseok will always come first for me and I don’t want someone who doesn’t understand that. He needs stability and someone who won’t leave him, someone who loves him just as much as I do.”

“I love you both,” Jongin says earnestly, surprising Kyungsoo whose eyes widen before he looks down, a bashful smile on his lips.

“You shouldn’t say things you don’t mean,” he grumbles embarrassingly, whining when Jongin kisses his temple.

“Do Kyungsoo I love you,” Jongin says seriously, looking him in the eye before rubbing their noses together affectionately. He feels tears prickle in his eyes and he forces himself not to cry so he can say yes.

“You don’t have to say it back,” Jongin tells him quietly, rubbing his arm before giving him a peck.

“Okay,” he sniffles, burrowing underneath the younger boys chin because if he _does_ start crying he doesn’t want Jongin to see him. He’s ugly when he cries.

“So is that a yes, I’m your boyfriend?”

“Yes, stupid,” he laughs out, getting cut off when Jongin smashes their lips together, pushing him lightly onto his back before hovering over him. He lets out a little mewl when he feels a hand slip underneath his shirt, but it doesn’t get far before they’re interrupted.

“D-daddy?”

They both break apart quickly and look up to see Minseok standing in the doorway with his eyes wide and his spongebob blanket pulled to his chest.

“What’s wrong?” Kyungsoo questions in concern, removing Jongin’s hand quickly before sitting up and holding his arms out for the toddler. Minseok runs over immediately so Jongin scoots over to make room.

“I had a bad dream,” Minseok sniffles out, eyes looking watery as he takes in little shuddering breaths. “Can I sleep with you daddy?”

“Of course,” Kyungsoo replies soothingly, rubbing his tiny back before lying him down in between him and Jongin and pulling the blankets up.

“Why were you kissing Jongin hyung?” he questions in a tiny voice and both adults still, sharing a glance before looking back down at Minseok who’s staring at them curiously.

“Do you know what a boyfriend is?” Jongin questions first, getting a nod from Kyungsoo.

“Nu uh,” Minseok says, shaking his head for emphasis.

“Well uh, it’s when, um…hyung?” he gives up and looks towards the elder, at a loss as to how to explain it in little people terms.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and sighs, “Jongin is daddy’s boyfriend, Minseok ah.”

“Is it like a best friend?” Minseok questions cutely, a confused little look on his face.

“Kind of, but boyfriends are a little bit more special than best friends,” he explains further and Minseok nods his head.

“Boyfriends kiss each other?” the toddler asks with his nose scrunched up making Jongin laugh.

“Mhm.” Kyungsoo nods his head and lies down, yawning tiredly. “Boyfriends kiss each other sometimes.”

“Like Joonmyun hyung and Yoona?”

“Yeah.”

“Does that make Luhan my boyfriend?” Minseok wonders out loud and Kyungsoo’s eyes snap open in alarm.

“ _What?_ ” he bites out, looking over to Jongin who’s trying not to laugh.

“Luhannie kissed me!” Minseok says rather excitedly and Jongin tries very hard not to burst into a fit of laughter at the scandalized look Kyungsoo is sporting.

“Where?” Kyungsoo continues to glare at nothing in particular, obviously upset but Minseok is oblivious to his daddy’s mental crisis.

“At the park!”

“No, I mean where did he kiss you?” Kyungsoo questions quickly, letting out a frustrated groan. He’s banning that Luhan kid.

“On the cheek!” Minseok giggles, pointing to the exact spot with a smile.

“Luhan isn’t your boyfriend,” Jongin interjects, seeing Kyungsoo look ready to cry or throw a fit. “You can’t have a boyfriend until you’re an adult. Like your daddy and I, okay?”

“But I _like_ Luhan,” Minseok pouts and Kyungsoo has to try very hard not to flail around. It’s too early for this. Minseok is supposed to wait until he’s thirty to start liking boys and girls.

“When you’re older,” Jongin emphasizes, giving Minseok a kiss on the cheek before telling him to go back to bed.

Even though he’s tired he stays up until the two fall asleep, watching as Kyungsoo coddles Minseok and he can’t help but thank Sehun for choosing that diner.

 

 

\--

 

 

The semester passes by quickly, the temperatures dropping and the trees shedding their leaves. The first snow is spent when he’s at Kyungsoo’s house and he ends up building a tiny snowman with Minseok that he names Gary. The obsession runs deep within that one.

They try and preserve him in the freezer for as long as they can but eventually he takes up too much space and Minseok sheds a couple of tears when they have to leave him outside and he melts.

But he gets over it pretty quickly when they agree to let him have a play date with Luhan at the park which is where they are now.

Finals were last week and he’s thankful that Kyungsoo’s able to rest now. He picks up more hours at the diner but he makes him get off at decent times to be back home for dinner, much to Kyungsoo’s annoyance.

They’ve been dating for a while now and it’s great. Although Kyungsoo isn’t one for pda he never shoves him off if he decides he wants a hug. At home Kyungsoo babies him and frets if he so much as winces after a long day of dance classes. In public though he tones it down, just gives secret looks that don’t mean anything to anyone other than them.

Right now they’re sitting on a park bench, Sehun is to his left and Kyungsoo on his right as they watch Luhan drag Minseok all over the jungle gym. They look adorable in their oversized winter coats but Kyungsoo doesn’t quite like when Luhan gives Minseok a peck on the cheek.

“He’s trying to seduce my son,” he states plainly earning a laugh on Jongin and Sehun’s end. “It’s not funny,” he grumbles.

“They’re just playing,” Jongin replies with a chuckle, snorting and slinging an arm around his shoulders. “Luhan doesn’t know any better.”

“He’s kissing my son, he knows what he’s doing,” Kyungsoo huffs childishly, hands twitching to go over and yank Minseok into his lap.

“Luhan just really likes him,” Sehun speaks up.

Things between Kyungsoo and his friends are still awkward, very much so. He’s met them all, only knowing Yixing beforehand because they were partnered up in a class last year. But the rest are all new and Jongin finds out very quickly that Kyungsoo isn’t one to initiate any kind of friendship.

He gives short answers or hums in reply if he has nothing to say. He’s very introverted and doesn’t talk all that much when he tags along to eat at a restaurant or in the dining hall. Minseok is the same way, being scared of Chanyeol and Kris and calling Baekhyun a girl when he first met them.

It’s uncomfortable for him, because his friends aren’t very open minded and automatically think Kyungsoo’s some huge jerk that doesn’t talk to anyone. But he knows that Kyungsoo is just hesitant, has his guard up twenty four seven and doesn’t like making friends.

It leaves him in an awkward position but he deals.

“We should probably go, I don’t want Minseok to get sick,” Kyungsoo speaks up after a while, calling out the toddlers name and motioning for him to come over.

Minseok and Luhan race each other, two little balls energy running as fast as their little feet will take them but both end up arriving at the same time, cheeks flushed red and out of breath.

“Are we leaving?” Minseok whines, panting as he bends over.

“Yes, we have to go eat dinner. So say goodbye to Luhan.”

“But I want to play longer!” the little four year old complains, pulling out a killer pout and Jongin has half a mind to say yes and give in, but Kyungsoo is immune to such looks and lays down the law.

“We have to go home, it’s getting cold and you’re going to get sick.”

“But daddy!”

“No buts, now say goodbye and you can have hot chocolate when we get home,” Kyungsoo states sternly and Minseok’s shoulders fall dramatically.

“I want hot chocolate!” Luhan interjects, raising his hand and waving it childishly. “Minseok’s daddy can I have hot chocolate too?”

“Luhan we have to go home too,” Sehun speaks up, holding out his hand and waiting for Luhan to walk over.

“Okay,” Luhan sighs dejectedly, walking over to his hyung only after giving Minseok a goodbye hug and kiss.

Kyungsoo doesn’t like it all that much but if Minseok looks happy he can’t do anything about it.

When they get home he immediately tells Minseok to head to the bathroom so he can take a warm bath. He kicks off his wet shoes and places them near the door while Jongin goes to his room.

After Minseok is all fresh and clean he heads to the kitchen to see Jongin already working on the drinks, wearing a completely different set of pants leaving him confused.

“I thought you were wearing black jeans?” he states, staring at him stupidly as Minseok rushes over to the kitchen table to wait for his drink.

“The bottoms got wet and I had an extra pair here,” Jongin replies offhandedly, looking in the pantry for marshmallows.

“You have extra pants here?” Kyungsoo says plainly, eyeing the younger boy with a blank face. It not even a question at this point but he asks anyways.

“I have socks too!” Jongin beams, showing off his feet. “Although I hate wearing them but its winter and my feet get cold easier. You okay?” he questions, seeing Kyungsoo looks like he just had an epiphany.

“I’m going to go shower,” he says in reply, heading out of the kitchen and to his room.

Jongin frowns but lets him go, he’ll ask after he’s gotten Minseok something to drink and then put down for his afternoon nap before they eat dinner.

So he finishes up the hot chocolate, adding four marshmallows and earning an approved squeal accompanied by a loud “Thank you Jonginnie hyung!” from Minseok. He makes himself a cup and then leads the toddler over to the living room to watch some cartoons. They settle on that air bending one, which he’ll admit is really cool. He’s so into it he doesn’t realize Minseok has fallen asleep until one of the main characters cracks a joke and he’s the only one laughing.

After he’s laid Minseok down in his bed he heads to Kyungsoo’s room to see him sitting on his own bed, cross-legged and staring at a pile of clothes.

“These are all yours,” he states simply, letting out a sigh as his shoulders deflate.

“There’s my lucky shirt!” he exclaims, walking over and lifting the worn out material. He was wondering where that went last Tuesday when he had a final.

“It’s happening,” Kyungsoo states again, staring blankly at the clothes, an unreadable look on his face.

“Hyung? What are you talking about?” he questions, moving to go sit next to him on the bed.

“Your stuff is here! First it’s a shirt, then a couple of pants and then somehow all your things just migrate into my closet and then you’re moving in and then everything just falls apart after that,” he says pathetically, on the verge of tears as he throws a sock into the pile.

“Nothing is going to fall apart,” Jongin mumbles, pulling the elder into his lap.

“That’s what they all say and then you’re getting beat up behind the gym,” Kyungsoo grumbles into his shirt and he frowns.

“What are you talking about?”

He gulps and bites his lip, cursing himself for being so stupid and letting that slip out. He’s never brought up high school to Jongin. “Nothing, forget I mentioned it.”

“Who beat you up?” Jongin questions hotly, going into overprotective mode immediately and Kyungsoo flushes. Jongin is so possessive over him it’s insane. The boy is younger than him, it should be the other way around.

“I got beat up in high school, who didn’t? Can I go to bed now?” he whines, lying down with a huff and hoping Jongin just drops it.

“Give me their names and addresses, now.”

“Jongin, go to bed.”

“But hyung!” Jongin whines, lying down next to his boyfriend and tugging on his sleeve. “They deserved to get their dicks chopped off!”

“Jongin, it was a _long_ time ago,” Kyungsoo sighs tiredly, “Don’t make a big deal out of it. Now go to bed. I’m tired.”

“Hyung, it’s like three in the afternoon,” Jongin states slowly, earning himself a weak slap from the elder. “I’ll just watch you sleep.”

“You’re fucking weird,” Kyungsoo grumbles, turning his back towards him and saying something under his breath.

But Jongin pays no mind to that, just does what he says he was going to do and watches as Kyungsoo drifts into a slumber. His own eyes getting droopy and before he knows it he’s huddled underneath the elders chin and he doesn’t think he’s ever fit so well with someone like he does with Kyungsoo.

 

 

\--

 

 

Jongin moves in two weeks before classes start up again. Although he’s skeptical about making such a big move (literally, Jongin is a pack rat) he forces himself to stay committed. Jongin’s not going anywhere anytime soon, he’s proven that numerous times. He’s met his parents, even his grandparents and Kyungsoo thinks that’s serious enough to move in together.

Jongin’s parents seemed nice enough about it when they talked it over. It was awkward, because he’s not used to parents these days, but they took to Minseok instantly and didn’t bat a lash when his age was revealed. They were the ones paying for Jongin’s share of the rent with his friend (whom he can’t stand and it’s not because he’s jealous—it’s because he’s jealous) and they’ll continue to pay up until Jongin gets a job.

It’s burdensome but it’s worth it in the end so he doesn’t have to run himself all over the place and work until he passes out anymore. Besides, Minseok is thrilled to have his Jonginnie hyung around twenty four seven and he never has to worry about a baby sitter.

But the best thing of all is waking up on the weekends to a gentle kiss behind his ear and a warm chest against his back. Jongin is a clinger and it’s rare when he wakes up and the boy isn’t holding onto him to the point where he’s trapped.

He secretly likes the affection but will deny it instantly if Jongin teases him about it.

It makes his chest feel warm when Jongin makes love to him first thing in the morning. He’s never rushed through it or been rough. He’s gentle and sweet, treats him like the most precious thing in the world and he loves it.

He loves how Jongin can make him crazy with want and need, make him feel things he didn’t even know were possible. He loves how Jongin will kiss his breath away as he completely unravels underneath him.

And he loves how Jongin will always tell him he loves him before they snuggle together. It’s perfect and it’s frightening too.

After years of struggling and loneliness he finally has someone to hold and take care of him and it _scares_ him. It shakes him to the very core to think that this could very well just be another chapter in his life that will end just like the rest, with heartbreak.

But Jongin tells him not to worry, kisses him like it’s the first and last time and he’s instantly soothed. He knows Jongin isn’t going anywhere.

So the day before classes start they make it official.

It’s random and not the least bit romantic. Kyungsoo wakes up to his customary morning kiss and he’s pretty sure there’s still crust on his eyes when Jongin asks him to marry him.

He’s half-awake when he smiles and says yes, still pretty drowsy when the make it to the court room but he’s fully awake when they have to call up Jongin’s eldest sister to be a witness. It’s completely unorthodox to meet your future sister-in-law at the court house but they’ve never been quite normal anyways.

Minseok doesn’t understand the legality of it all, but he’s quick to start calling Jongin daddy too as soon as it makes sense to him.

And Jongin doesn’t think he’s heard anything more heartwarming than being called dad. He’s never felt that warm fuzzy feeling with anyone other than Kyungsoo but for the rest of the day Minseok gets accustomed to addressing him as such and he gets used to the feeling as well.

It’s all rushed and messy, but Jongin wouldn’t have it any other way.

It sounds stupid to say it out loud, because he doesn’t know all that much about Kyungsoo’s past but he doesn’t hold that against the elder. He knows of the Kyungsoo _now_ and he’s so in love with him he doesn’t care if he never finds out what happened to his parents or how Minseok came into the picture.

The only problem is telling all his friends that not only has he moved in with his boyfriend of not even four months, but he’s married now. So he’s nervous going back to classes on Wednesday, afraid of what they’re going to say and how they’re going to react and Kyungsoo is quick to pick up on it.

“You’re regretting it aren’t you?” he asks while they wait in line at the dining hall for lunch. So far Jongin hasn’t run into any of his friends in his morning classes but it’s bound to happen soon. He’s taking morning classes and Kyungsoo afternoon so he can watch Minseok. He forced Kyungsoo to take a reasonable amount of hours but he refuses to stop working.

“Of course not,” he reassures his now husband, linking their hands together and giving him a reassuring smile. “I just don’t want them giving me grief,” he grumbles, already imagining the bitch fest Baekhyun is going to give him.

“You get used to the rumors and trash talk after a while,” Kyungsoo supplies, shrugging before letting go of his hand to pick up Minseok who’s extra sleepy today.

He just nods his head in response, hugging him from behind and giving Minseok a peck on the cheek. He knows all about the whispers nowadays. After people found out he was dating Kyungsoo they started and he wants to shut them all up but he finds it better they talk about him than Kyungsoo. At least he doesn’t feel like strangling anyone when he hears his name instead of Kyungsoo’s.

“Jongin!”

He hears himself being called by Sehun so he turns around and gives a forced smile and a wave. He’s with Tao and Yixing, but no Baekhyun in sight. Thank god.

“How was your break?” he questions to be polite, turning around when he feels his shirt being tugged on by a sleepy Minseok. He smiles and takes him from Kyungsoo’s hands so he can grab their plates.

“It was…”

“He broke up with Baekhyun,” Tao butts in with a smile leaving Yixing to roll his eyes and start going off on him in mandarin. He understands the words ‘rude’ and ‘asshole’.

“I’m sorry,” he says earnestly because although he may not have liked the things Baekhyun said to him a while ago, they were all still friends at some point. Sehun shifts uncomfortably but gives a smile, “It’s fine. It just wasn’t working out. What did you do?”

He laughs nervously, turning back to see Kyungsoo giving him a look that tells him he can lie if he wants, Kyungsoo has always been understanding but there’s a little ounce of sadness in them that will definitely intensify if he lies right now.

“Well, I moved into Kyungsoo's house and we got married, how was your break Tao?” he rushes out, giving an overzealous smile to the taller male who looks ready to pass out. He can hear Kyungsoo snort from behind him.

In fact they’re all giving him gawking looks, especially Tao, and it makes his insides turn with anxiety because it’s probably worse than when he walked into his parents’ house and announced they had another grandson. He probably should have planned that out better but they love Minseok and Kyungsoo so it worked out in the end.

But his friends are an entirely different story. Yixing looks completely confused (or that might just be his face), Tao looks completely scandalized and Sehun is just giving him a blank look (that might just be his face as well).

“Did Luhan enjoy the Christmas present from Minseok? He picked it out,” he questions to try and ease away some of the awkward tension. Kyungsoo clears his throat from behind him, two plates of food in his hand as he looks around nervously.

“Uh, you can sit with us if you like,” the elder states sheepishly, looking around the cafeteria to find a spot to sit.

His friends all just nod silently and trail after him as they sit at a table near the windows where they can see the snow starting to fall.

“I have to go potty,” Minseok whines tiredly, eyes still half lidded as he lifts his arms up for someone to grab him. Kyungsoo jumps at the opportunity to scram, giving him a sheepish smile as he’s left alone with his friends.

Awkward silence ensues.

“You got married.” Tao states slowly, eyeing him up and down as he nods his head.

“Yesterday actually.”

Cue the insane laugh and the even more scandalized looks.

“It’s pretty funny because we got to the court house and I completely forgot you have to have an eye witness. You can pay people to do it but my sister doesn’t live that far away so I called her and her husband and it was really fucking awkward because that was her first time meeting Kyungsoo and she called me crazy-“

“You’re rambling again,” Sehun butts in, an amused smile on his face because he’s a dick.

“Oh, well yes. I got married. To Kyungsoo. We’re married. He’s my husband. Yes.”

He finishes with a quick nod, looking at his friends who are just staring at him like he’s gone mad.

“None of you are saying anything!” he nearly yells but he’s too tired to even deal with unwanted attention so he settles for whining and sipping his orange juice like a child.

“Congratulations.”

“I didn’t ask for a lecture!” he blurts only to pause, eyes widening in disbelief as Sehun actually gives him a smile. _“What?”_

“I said congratulations dickhead,” Sehun snorts, shaking his head and opening his milk carton. “Why would I lecture you? You’re a grown ass man (“That debatable!” Tao snickers in the background) who can get married whenever he wants. Besides, Kyungsoo has you whipped and I enjoy watching you follow him like a lost puppy.”

“I am _not_ whipped,” Jongin defends with a tiny glare. “I’m in love, there’s a difference!” he huffs causing Yixing to giggle.

“Oh whatever,” Sehun snorts just in time for Minseok and Kyungsoo to return. Minseok finally looks awake as he climbs into his lap, hugging him and hiding his face bashfully. He’s still not comfortable around of his friends for some reason.

Kyungsoo takes his seat and tries to act normal, eating his food silently to avoid the looks Jongin’s friends are probably giving him.

“Is Luhan at home?” Minseok squeaks out, smiling shyly at Sehun who returns the look with a smile of his own.

“He’s at home with his mommy.” He responds, reaching over to ruffle Minseok’s light brown hair earning a giggle.

“Jonginnie’s my mommy now!” he chirps and Kyungsoo chokes on his drink, face red as he starts cracking up.

Jongin pouts as everyone starts laughing, Minseok tilting his head in a confused manner because he doesn’t understand.

“Why is it funny?” he pouts, looking over at his daddy who looks like a strawberry with the shade of red his face is.

“Jongin isn’t your mommy,” Kyungsoo gets out in between laughs, clearing his throat and reaching over for the toddler so he can explain it to him privately.

“But you’re supposed to have a mommy and a daddy!” Minseok protests in confusion, brows furrowing because he doesn’t get it. He huffs before hiding in his new daddy’s neck, upset over people giggling at him.

Kyungsoo lets out another sigh and gives Jongin a look before picking up Minseok and taking him out into the hallway. Jongin doesn’t know if he’s supposed to follow or stay put so he remains in his seat. He doesn’t want to overstep his boundaries.

Even though he wants to know what Kyungsoo is telling Minseok about moms and dads, he’s still just the _step dad_ and he would feel uncomfortable to have to explain to Minseok that he doesn’t have a mom. When Kyungsoo is ready, he'll tell him.

“Well I guess Luhan’s wish came true.” Sehun says after a while earning three confused looks. “Jongin’s a mom.”

The entire table explodes in laughter while Jongin groans, his friends are idiots.

 

 

\--

 

 

“Daddy it’s cold,” Minseok frowns, sitting on the floor pathetically wrapped up in his winter coat and his comforter. Even then he’s a sniffling little mess and Jongin feels like a crappy parent.

The heater went out around nine this morning and the maintenance guy still hasn’t arrived. He can’t even take Minseok to the school where it’s warm because he has to sign for the guy. Kyungsoo is in classes and has work right after leaving him stuck.

Right now it’s three and Kyungsoo is probably already at the diner. He sighs and sits down next to the little boy, grabbing his phone to call the front office again with plans on yelling if they don’t get anything done soon.

Minseok snuggles into his shirt just as he hears someone knock on the door. He huffs as he stands up with Minseok, walking over to the door and answering. The maintenance guy gives him some stupid excuse and he signs the work form with a frown. Minseok hides his face into his neck the entire time, still afraid of strangers.

While the maintenance man works on the heater he sits down on the couch and attempts to get Minseok warmed up. Kyungsoo would throw a fit if he let him get sick because of this and he would feel horrible too.

“Are you warm now?” he questions, looking down at the four year old and getting a wobbly frown that leaves him feeling anxious.

“My tummy hurts,” he chokes out, bottom lip wobbling. Jongin pauses, a nervous feeling settling in his gut as he takes in Minseok’s pained face.

“Are you hungry?” he questions, trying not to worry when Minseok shakes his head no. He looks a little pale so he feels his forehead and realizes he’s a bit warmer than usual. “Do you feel nauseated?”

When Minseok gives him a confused look he nearly face palms. Of course he has no idea what that means. “Do you feel like you’re going to throw up?” he questions instead and gets a tiny nod and a whine in response.

No idea what to do he reaches for his phone, sending a text to Kyungsoo in case he’s busy and waiting it out.

“Daddy it hurts,” Minseok speaks up again, close to tears and it only makes him panic more. He’s never dealt with Minseok being sick other than his allergies acting up. But even then he gives him his children’s Benadryl and the toddler is down for a nap.

When he doesn’t hear back from Kyungsoo right away he lets out an annoyed huff, standing up with Minseok in his arms and walking over to where the maintenance guy is at.

“Do I need to be here anymore?” he rushes out, attempting to search his pockets for his keys, and luckily they’re already there.

When the man gives him a confused shake of the head he explains himself and the man understands immediately. Apparently he has a skeleton key to lock up when he's done so he rushes out a quick thank you before heading out the door and to the emergency room.

 

 

\--

 

 

By going over the speed limit and taking the shortest route he knows they end up in the emergency room in about ten minutes. He’s sitting with Minseok who’s crying now and he has no idea what to do. Legally, he's not sure if he's even his guardian. He technically hasn't adopted Minseok and Kyungsoo hasn't mentioned antyhing either.

So he’s not even sure if they’ll let him do all the paper work and even then he doesn’t know what the hell to fill out other than a name and birthdate.

Growing impatient he walks up to the front desk, Minseok crying quietly in his arms and gives the nurse the meanest glare he can muster up and with a crying little angel in his arms it isn’t very hard.

“Are you going to just let him cry all damn day?” he snaps, forgetting the no cussing rule because he’s just a big mess.

The nurse looks up in shock and then her eyes land on Minseok and she immediately takes the hint. Calling another nurse over who smiles (why are nurses always so damn cheery?) before taking them to a room and handing him a form to fill out while they wait for the doctor.

When he tries to put Minseok down on the bed he’s met with resistance and a loud wail that makes his heart break.

“I want daddy!” Minseok sobs out, clinging to him desperately in fear of the nurse. Nurses mean shots and he _hates_ shots.

“You can hold him,” the nurse says with an understanding smile that he can’t even return because he feels like crying himself. He just nods his head and sits with Minseok in his lap. But as soon as she tries to go anywhere near him he screams in disapproval, refusing to let go of his neck and turn around.

“Minseok you have to behave for the nurse,” he whispers out, trying to keep it together so he doesn’t scare him any further.

“No!” Minseok screeches, his grip tightening. “I want my daddy!”

How Kyungsoo can ever handle Minseok crying, he honestly doesn’t know because he feels his eyes sting and his nose feels stuffy just hearing the little sobs the boy is letting out right now. But he has to a parent now and get his step-son to stop crying.

“Minseok, she’s going to make your tummy feel better,” he whispers, managing to finally pull the boy away from his neck. His heart breaks seeing his eyes red and his cheeks a light shade of pink. “You want your tummy to feel better, right?” he manages to choke out, thumbing away the stray tears of the toddlers cheeks.

Minseok nods his head, little hiccups making his shoulders shake as he looks over at the nurse skeptically.

“She just wants to help and daddy will be happy if you let her help, okay?”

Minseok sniffles but nods his head, finally being cooperative enough to lay down in the bed. He still stares at the nurse with a look of skepticism, afraid she’ll pull out a needle at any moment but he lets her take his vitals.

“It looks like he’s got appendicitis. The doctor will confirm in a little bit and we can move on from there.” She tells him and he nods his head, a small wave of relief flooding over him because it’s not something horrible.

But his anxiety picks back up when he’s handed paperwork and he remembers he still needs to call Kyungsoo and be calm throughout the entire conversation.

He bites his lip as he sits next to Minseok, lying down next to him after they put him in the little hospital gown, hoping he's a good distraction because they’re about to put an iv on him and he’s already crying up again.

“Daddy and I will buy you a new Gary toy, okay?” he whispers, Minseok perks up a little but still whimpers in discomfort. “You’re doing a good job, just pay attention to me and we can call daddy when they’re done.”

“I can talk to daddy?” Minseok sniffles, eyes looking droopy as they give him some medicine for the discomfort.

“Mhm, you can talk to daddy,” he replies, giving the nurse a forced smile as he sits back up and he slowly pulls out his phone.

He hesitates, knowing Kyungsoo is probably busy but he calls anyways, his stomach grumbling in unease. He doesn’t even know where to begin when Kyungsoo finally answers, sounding tired as he’s told that he’s busy.

“Minseok had a bad tummy ache,” he starts off, looking down at the toddler who’s lying on his lap.

“Okay? Do you really have to call me for that?” Kyungsoo sasses him, probably frustrated for being disturbed.

“Bad enough to go to the emergency room,” he rushes out, the silence on the other line unsettling him. When Kyungsoo doesn’t say anything he explains himself further, afraid he’s thinking the worst. “They said he probably has appendicitis and we’re waiting for the doctor, he’s just really scared and he wants to talk to you.”

Kyungsoo lets out a shuddering breath over the line before he’s asking for Minseok. He nods his head even though the elder can’t see him and hands the phone to Minseok who smiles a teeny bit when he hears his daddy’s voice.

Jongin sighs and looks at the paper work, filing out all he knows before getting up to tell the nurse he’s clueless on everything else. She tells him its okay, it’s not a difficult procedure and everything should be fine.

He rushes back towards Minseok who’s getting really drowsy, fighting to keep his eyes open and keep talking. Eventually he says one last goodbye before handing the phone back and then the doctor walks in.

“Hyung, I have to go,” he says softly, getting up from the bed so the doctor can look at Minseok properly.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Kyungsoo rushes out, noise of shuffling heard in the background and he can only assume he’s changing in the back break room.

He says a short okay and watches the doctor like a hawk. It turns out to be appendicitis like the nurse suspected and he’s scheduled for surgery as soon as the next operating room becomes available. Until then all he can do is wait it out.

 

 

\--

 

 

Kyungsoo has always had good intuition. He’s a good judge of character although sometimes he let his brain over power his gut feelings. He just knows who to trust and who to not bother with. It was gut instinct that told him he should have stayed home today.

When the heater went out his gut told him something was off but Jongin told him they would be fine. He should have trusted his gut and gone with his first instinct.

It was an accident that made him get detention in high school. It was during gym when one of the older boys thought it would be funny to switch the tennis balls with baseballs instead. In the end he broke a window and was given his first ever detention.

It was instinct that made him take a shorter route home. His mom would scold him for having to stay behind. He was never one to get in trouble before and it was going to start storming soon. She was going to bite his head off as soon as he walked through the door and although he wanted to post pone his lecture he knew it would be worse if he took his time.

So he went through the back roads and alleys, winging it until he was on the right path that would lead him towards the end of his neighborhood.

As he checked his watch he remembers smiling to himself. Taking a shorter route had spared him a ton of time and he would probably be arriving home only ten minutes later than normal. Meaning she would just assume he was walking slow today.

His instincts always made him keep his guard up in gym, instincts told him if he took the back roads he’d be home quicker, instincts told him that despite his dad saying the weather would be good, it was bound to rain.

He always trusted his instincts.

But it was _fate_ finding Minseok. If he would have walked passed that old grey dumpster a minute earlier or a minute later he probably wouldn’t have heard the little cry coming from near the ground.

The sound made him still in his spot, the background noise of distant thunder signaling the storm was bound to be there any minute.

His mind told him to keep walking, to hurry on home to his parents before the weather got bad but it was his gut that led him towards the high grass where he could hear little sounds of a baby whining.

It didn’t make much sense to him _why_ there would be crying coming from the ground. Perhaps it was a baby cat and he could take him home but what he got was definitely nowhere _near_ a kitten.

His eyes had gone wide when they landed on the bundled infant sitting on top of a backpack. He was in a light blue onesie, a lavender blanket surrounding him but his arms were free. He didn’t look over a month old and it confused him.

But that confusion turned to anger when he looked around and there wasn’t a person in sight. Who would leave a helpless child all alone? Who on earth would abandon their own baby?

A wail and a crack of thunder ended his thoughts and he was instantly rushing over, slowly getting onto his knees and reaching out hesitantly.

He had never held a baby before but certain instincts kick in from watching his mother with his baby cousins and soon he’s rocking the baby boy gently in his arms, looking around the ground to find anything that will give him a clue as why this little angel is abandoned but nothing.

He checks over the backpack to the best of his ability but again, there’s not a thing to point him in the right direction. When he feels a drop of rain hit him on the head he stands and rushes over towards the abandoned house across the field, taking refuge while the storm passes.

The child in his arms doesn’t cry, just looks up at him with sharp almond shaped eyes. He blinks a couple of times before his tiny lips twitch into a smile that takes his breath away, letting out a little mewl before falling asleep.

And Kyungsoo thought to turn him into a hospital or an orphanage but what would they do? Put him in a foster home and then pray he gets adopted? It was probably the reason he was left in such a state to begin with and he can’t do that.

He can’t set the poor baby up for a life like that. He’s seen the crammed orphanage downtown and this little boy wouldn’t stand a chance.

Kyungsoo never believed in higher beings, it went against all logic and he was always a firm believer in coincidences. Miracles are just luck. There’s no one responsible for cancer disappearing randomly. It was just never there to begin with perhaps. It’s nothing but karma and luck.

But maybe, that’s all bullshit he thought as he sat on the old moldy floor boards. Because maybe someone was looking out for this little baby, maybe his entire life was planned out to the moment he was born, to when he hit that baseball through the school window and down to the exact moment he heard that cry.

And right then and there Kyungsoo starts believing in fate. He was _meant_ to find Minseok four years ago. Even though he was sixteen and just a kid himself.

Even if his mom slapped him clean across the face when he claimed him as his own. Even if it meant being ridiculed and shunned by his entire school. Minseok was meant to be his son and he was meant to take care of him.

Meeting Jongin was fate too. It was supposed to happen, even if he resisted at first, was in denial. It was supposed to happen.

Jongin may have thought he just assumed he was crazy with all the fate talk back in the beginning but it was really just déjà vu because he remembers having almost the same conversation when he moved in with Ryeowook, holding the at the time six month old in his hands who was doing nothing but giggling.

He was meant to break that window, get detention and have to rush back home because he was meant to take care of Minseok. Make sure he was always warm and well fed, make sure he was always reassured he was loved.

And now he feels like a failure, eyes stinging and hands almost shaking as he walks through the hospital to the room Jongin told him Minseok was in. He was always supposed to be there and make sure Minseok was never in pain and scared.

His stomach churns in unease, having thrown up twice at the diner because he was so worried. Jongin said everything went fine, that Minseok is just resting now but he’s still paranoid that this is _his_ fault somehow. Maybe if he would have stayed home like his gut told him to this wouldn’t have happened.

And Jongin _isn’t_ supposed to spot him when he’s trying not to have a breakdown in the middle of the hallway.

Jongin holds him tightly in his arms and he hides his face because he was serious that he’s so ugly when he cries and he can’t even stop it at this point because he was so scared on the way here. Even if it’s just a standard operation he wasn’t there to hold Minseok’s hand and reassure him everything would be okay.

But now it’s Jongin reassuring _him_ that everything is fine. Minseok is okay and he can go home later in the afternoon once he’s woken up.

“He’s fine, it’s okay,” Jongin whispers into his hair, rubbing his back until he’s calmed down enough to walk into the recovery room where Minseok is still passed out. He nearly bursts into tears again but he holds it in, getting into the bed and holding onto his little four year old with plans of never letting go.

 

 

\--

 

 

The house remains quiet for the remainder of the day. Kyungsoo refuses to leave Minseok’s side even though the boy is nearly back to normal. He can’t really laugh without his stiches hurting him so Kyungsoo just reads to him in bed, opting not to let him watch SpongBob just yet.

Jongin has spent most of the day telling all his friends that he probably won’t be in classes for the remaining two days of the week and they all agree to make copies of their notes for both him and attempt to for Kyungsoo.

Right now he’s cleaning the dishes. Their small dinner mostly consisted of soup and crackers, neither of them all too hungry considering they went through hell with billing and having Minseok go through surgery in general.

He walks into their shared bedroom once he's done and finds Minseok knocked out for the night, an empty bowl of ice cream on the small nightstand and Kyungsoo threading his hands through his hair soothingly.

“Sehun called and wanted to know if Luhan can come over tomorrow,” he says softly, getting underneath the covers and hugging Kyungsoo from behind. “Luhan is really, _really_ super mega worried apparently.”

“That’s fine,” Kyungsoo mutters out, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling, mentally exhausted from the day.

“He really likes Minseok, you have to admit it’s kind of cute,” Jongin laughs, trying to get Kyungsoo out of his funk mood but he only receives a wobbly smile in response. “It’s not your fault he got sick,” he whispers, running his hand along the elder’s neck.

“I know,” Kyungsoo mumbles, turning to face his husband and hide underneath his chin.

“These things just happen,” Jongin explains further, if only to reassure himself. “It happens all the time. They just burst and make people’s lives miserable.”

Kyungsoo sits up, back resting against the wall so he follows suit, resting his arm around the elder’s shoulders and pulling him close. Minseok still stays asleep, his chest rising and falling in an even pattern.

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath before letting everything out.

“I’m not his biological father.”

It catches Jongin completely off guard, eyebrows furrowing in utter confusion. He doesn’t know what to say so he keeps quiet, looking down at the elder who has a tiny smile on his face as he watches Minseok sleep.

“When I was sixteen I found him when I was walking home. It was humid as my uniform was sticking to my back. It was going to rain soon and I heard him.”

“What do you mean you _found_ him?” Jongin questions, “Where was his mom?”

Kyungsoo smiles sadly, shrugging his shoulders because to this day he has no idea what happened to her. “She just left him there and I found him. It was starting to rain so I took him with me. My mom kicked me out the minute I walked through the door.”

He laughs if only to stop the tears, remembering how angry his mom was and he doesn’t think he had ever seen her like that.

“I told her he was mine and she kicked me out. I didn’t even get to grab my things or say goodbye to my dad or my brother.”

“You have a brother?” Jongin butts in, totally inappropriately but it _really_ catches him off guard. Kyungsoo with a brother. An older version of Kyungsoo. It’s weird.

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo laughs. “He was in college.”

“Oh…”

“So I never got to say goodbye to him. I was already moved out by the time he came home for summer. My mom told me to stay away from them so I did. I don’t know what she told him, probably that I ran away or something.”

“Where did you live then?” Jongin questions, resting his chin on the top of his head.

“A family friend. He lived a couple of neighborhoods away. His name was Ryeowook. He worked from home so he took care of Minseok when I was in school trying not to get beat up too badly.” he chuckles lightly, wiping the stray tears from his eyes and sniffling.

“I still want their names,” Jongin grumbles. He’d track them down and kick their asses right then and there if he could.

“I don’t even remember anyone’s names.” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, trying to think back but he blocked it from his memory. They were immature teenagers. He put it all behind him a long time ago.

“Why didn’t you just take him to a shelter or the hospital?” Jongin asks quietly, stealing a glance at Minseok who’s mumbling in his sleep.

“Because they wouldn’t be able to take care of him,” Kyungsoo rushes out, “He would just be another abandoned kid and he wouldn’t get treated right. He needed a parent, he needed _me_.”

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath, feeling light headed from everything being out in the open now. He’s never told a single person other than Ryeowook the truth. He’s gone four years keeping it all to himself and in the span of ten minutes it’s all over.

The more Jongin thinks about it, the more it starts to make sense. Minseok doesn’t look all that much like Kyungsoo. The similarities are probably pure coincidence. It’s the personality that sells it and that’s all environmental.

He never thought something like this was all that possible. Perhaps Kyungsoo made a mistake with some girl in high school and he got dumped with Minseok. Maybe the girl was selfish and Kyungsoo stepped up. But _never_ that Minseok wasn’t even his. That he found him by chance and decided at the tender age of sixteen that he would raise a child on his own.

It makes him angry to think that all this time Kyungsoo’s kept it to himself, let people beat him up, ridicule and judge him when in reality he did one of the most selfless acts he’s ever seen. To put himself in that kind of situation without a care in the world, it’s almost heroic in a way.

“I don’t understand,” he says, borderline frustrated at the situation. If Kyungsoo just told people the truth things would be so much easier for him. “Why doesn’t anyone know about this? Why don’t you tell people?”

“For what?” Kyungsoo questions back. “So they can take one look at Minseok and feel sorry for him? So they can make me out as some sort of saint when all I did was the right thing? I didn’t take Minseok because I wanted the credit and I don’t tell people because that’s all they’ll ever care about, that’s all they’ll think about. I’d rather be ridiculed until I die than let anyone take pity on him. I’d rather them punch me until I'm passed out than let them say anything bad about _him_. As long as it’s _me_ they’re talking about, I could care less if they know what I did.”

Jongin pauses, staring at the elder in awe, eyes stinging and head aching as he tries not to let his emotions take over. This entire time, all those years of belittlement and ridicule for nothing. Absolutely nothing and Kyungsoo doesn’t even regret it.

He moves to open his mouth but Minseok stirs from his sleep, whining for his daddy so he waits. Trying to give himself time to deal while Kyungsoo takes care of Minseok.

“Are you okay?” the elder questions softly, staring at Minseok with concern written all over his face.

“I forgot to tell you I loved you daddy,” Minseok mumbles, eyes still droopy with sleep and medication from earlier that day. It’ll take a while to wear off fully.

“What?”

Kyungsoo stares at the toddler in confusion, not sure if he’s still delirious from the pain medication they gave him or the anesthesia.

“I’m supposed to tell you I love you before I go to sleep. Because you’re my daddy.” Minseok explains further, leaning up to give Kyungsoo a peck on the nose that makes his heart flutter in the exact same manner as it did when he first saw that tiny smile. “I'm supposed to tell you I love you. But I forgot.”

Minseok yawns tiredly, giving him a sleepy smile. “I love you daddy.”

“I love you too,” Kyungsoo laughs, giving Minseok a kiss on the cheek and telling him to rest.

Jongin watches silently as the elder hums a tune, Minseok’s eyes fluttering shut and a tired smile on his lips as he falls back to sleep, Kyungsoo joining him and eventually he finds himself drifting off into dream land.

 

 

\--

 

 

Kyungsoo watches silently from the kitchen as Luhan plays pretend doctor with Minseok who’s lying on the couch. He's got on a fake lab coat and a plastic thermometer in his hand as he fake reads Minseok's temperature. And he can admit that Luhan’s obsession over his son is a _tiny_ bit adorable. Especially how he had walked into the apartment with Sehun almost in tears because his Minnie was hurt.

He won’t admit it out loud but Luhan is a really cute kid.

“Kyungsoo.”

His stare breaks and he looks over to his right where Jongin is just standing silently. He blinks a couple of times as he waits for his husband to say something. They haven’t really talked since last night and he’s worried Jongin’s going to back out now that the truth is out.

He messes with the mug in his hands nervously, shifting on his feet as he feels a hand on his own.

Jongin pries the cup out from his grip, setting it down on the counter and cupping his face in his hands, making him look up before his eyes flutter shut as Jongin kisses him. Their hands link together, his ring pressing into his skin as a reminder that this isn’t just some fling about to end because Jongin’s chickening out. He’s _married_ to the only person that had a little bit of faith in him.

Despite all those rumors, all the trash talk and all the lies told about him. Even if he was a complete asshole to the boy in the beginning Jongin never gave up on him. Jongin's the only one to not judge him right off the bat, but instead took the time to get to know him and he'll always love him for that.

When they break apart his lungs burn and his lips tingle, head light as a feather as Jongin runs a hand down his neck.

“I love you,” he tells him, even though they both already know just how much. “And I’m so proud that you’re mine.”

Jongin smiles at him, the same dorky love smitten smile he got back at the diner, or when they went on their first date at the playground, Minseok in tow, or when they were told they offiially belonged to each other.

“I love you too,” he laughs out, heart filling with nothing but love for the younger boy as he gets pulled into a bone crushing hug, a laugh getting muffled into his hair as he’s lifted off the ground for a split second.

Even if it was hard, Kyungsoo thinks that his life turned out perfectly right then and there because not only did he get Minseok, but he got Jongin too.

“Minseok’s daddy when can I marry Minnie?”

Kyungsoo pauses, turning around and looking at Luhan in shock. Their moment completely ruined in the oddest way possible. He looks towards Jongin who’s laughing behind his hand then back at Luhan who’s staring at him curiously.

“What?” he says stupidly, looking over towards the couch where Minseok is waiting patiently with his new Squidward toy Luhan gifted him with.

“I want to marry Minseok!” Luhan beams, his son giggling cutely from the couch.

Maybe he was wrong. Luhan isn’t adorable at all.

“When you’re fifty,” he bites out, earning himself a pinch from Jongin.

“When you’re older,” Jongin corrects, covering his mouth to muffle the curse words. “Ask us when you’re older.”

“How much older?” Luhan rushes out, eyes wide with excitement.

“When you’re taller than Minseok’s daddy,” he smirks, snorting when Kyungsoo bites his hand.

“Okay!” Luhan chirps, rushing over to tell Minseok the news leaving Kyungsoo to turn around and start punishing his own idiot of a husband. And to think, he actually thanked Sehun for bringing this dork into his life.

 

 

\--

Five Years Later

 

 

“Dad.”

A hand shakes his shoulder and Jongin’s nose twitches in annoyance, a whine leaving his throat as he turns around. He pulls his blanket over his head and attempts to ignore whatever’s disturbing his sleep.

“Dad!”

Someone tries to pull him out of his cocoon but he’ll have none of that. He grumbles and burrows himself further from the intruders reach. His dream long gone and sleep starting to fade.

“DAD!”

He finally gets kicked in the butt and he yelps, shoving the blankets off in a fit of fury and glaring at the unfortunate soul who woke him up on the weekend. But his glare breaks when he sees his nine year old smiling at him.

“Daddy made breakfast!” Minseok chirps, grabbing his arms and attempting to pull him out of bed. “Hurry up!”

“I’m tired!” he whines, flopping onto his back and going to hide underneath his pillow.

“But daddy said to wake you up!” Minseok whines, huffing angrily as he attempts for a second time only to fall on his butt. “I’m going to tell daddy!” he warns, glaring at the pile of blankets on the bed.

Jongin pops his head out and returns the glare, daring the nine year old to call in Kyungsoo. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Minseok scoffs, opening his mouth and before Jongin can stop him he’s yelling.

“DADDY! HE WON’T WAKE UP!” he screeches as loud as he can and Jongin curses, the boy definitely has a good pair of lungs that’s for sure. Minseok gives a tiny triumphant humph before strutting over to the door.

“Minseok what are you yelling about?” Kyungsoo comes into the room with a spatula in his hand and Jongin whimpers in fear.

“Dad won’t wake up!” Minseok accuses, pointing a finger at the bed where only Jongin’s eyes are visible.

He sighs as he takes in the picture of his mini family, Jongin is such a lazy ass on the weekends.

“Your breakfast is on the table,” he states to Minseok who smiles in response, “Go put this on the counter and _don’t_ share your bacon with Monggu.”

Minseok gives a sheepish smile, grabbing the spatula and rushing out of their bedroom. Jongin takes a peek out from underneath his blankets and grunts when he feels Kyungsoo’s entire weight on him.

“You’re heavy!” he breathes out, trying to sit up but Kyungsoo is adamant on lying on top of him.

“If you would have woken up when Minseok told you to, this wouldn’t be happening.”

“You’re the one that wore me out last night,” he huffs, finally sitting up to glare at his husband of five, nearly six years.

Kyungsoo just smirks because he knows it’s true. Minseok just got home an hour ago from spending the night with Luhan. They had the apartment to themselves last night so he definitely wore Jongin out, he made it a point too. But he gets off him anyways, opting to sit cross legged next to the younger male who is finally finding it in himself to sit up properly, rubbing his eyes and letting out a small yawn.

“Are you going to get up and come eat now?” he questions, moving to slide off the bed.

“What did you make?” Jongin yawns out, stretching his arms over his head and popping his back.

“Pancakes,” Kyungsoo says with a shrug and it brings back tiny memories.

“That reminds me. Guess what I passed by yesterday after going to get a copy of my transcript,” he says, finally standing up to trail after the elder tiredly.

“Where?”

“That old diner,” he smiles, pulling Kyungsoo into a hug despite the surprised squeak he lets out.

“It’s still around?” Kyungsoo asks, looking over his shoulder and making a face with Jongin kisses him without brushing his teeth first.

“They changed it,” Jongin says secretively, letting go to head to the kitchen because his stomach is starting to growl now. He flicks Minseok on the forehead earning a whine from the nine year old.

Kyungsoo frowns, sitting down in his own spot next to Minseok and giving him a kiss while he waits for Jongin to come sit with them.

“Luhan got a cat!” Minseok beams, smiling over a mouthful of pancakes causing Kyungsoo to chuckle and hand him a napkin. “He found her on the way to school and his mom let him keep it!”

“She did?” he questions, kicking Jongin when he tries to play footsie with him underneath the table and earning a pout from his husband. He’s still just an overgrown child.

“Yeah she said it was a stray that probably got abandoned or something because it didn’t have a collar. We went to the vet yesterday and she’s going to have kittens, can we keep one?” Minseok rushes out, talking so fast he almost doesn’t catch the ending.

He got some bad habits from Jongin.

“We already have Monggu,” he says earning himself a whine.

“But daddy! Please? It can be my birthday present!” Minseok suggests, giving him a pout and puppy dog eyes.

“Your birthday isn’t for another five months,” Jongin laughs, pouring himself some syrup and starting to eat.

“Please? Monggu is _dad’s_ dog, not _mine_ ,” Minseok whines, tugging on Kyungsoo’s sleeve and pulling his lips into a killer pout. He sees the resolve starting to crumble on his husbands face so he gives his foot a light tap.

“We’ll think about it,” Kyungsoo sighs, earning an excited yell from the nine year old who jumps up and gives him a hug, excited excuses to skip out on breakfast to clean spewing from his mouth and something about responsibility before he’s rushing out of the kitchen.

Kyungsoo watches him go with wide eyes, looking over to Jongin who translates.

“He said he was going to clean the entire house to prove he’s responsible enough. I give him until he reaches the living room until he quits.”

“You’d be surprised at how persistent he is when he wants something,” he says, going back to his breakfast.

“That’s true, remember when I made him cry the first time because he called you a mean daddy?” Jongin smirks and Kyungsoo laughs lightheartedly as he recalls the memory. All that fuss over a little fort.

“So what did they change the old diner into?” he asks, taking a sip of his milk and looking up expectantly.

Jongin smiles knowingly, cutting his own pancakes, dipping them in butter and then syrup. “It’s a shelter.”

Kyungsoo pauses, looking up in shock to see that Jongin is completely serious right now. He doesn’t know what to say so the younger male continues.

“It’s for single moms for the most part, so they don’t have to give up their kids while they try and get back on their feet.”

Kyungsoo nods his head, staring down at his pancakes with a smile on his face.

“The owner said he had a change of heart because of one of his old employees.” Jongin continues, reaching over to link hands with Kyungsoo who’s crying now.

“He did?” Kyungsoo chokes out, pancakes long forgotten as he _really_ starts crying and he can only pray Jongin doesn’t divorce him for looking gross.

“He said he felt like it was the right thing to do,” Jongin smiles, squeezing his hand lightly, “Sound familiar?”

Kyungsoo chokes out a sob so he stands up, laughing lightly because he can’t even remember the last time the elder cried because he was so happy. He pulls him into a hug, Kyungsoo clinging to his shirt when Minseok walks back into the room to ask where they even keep the vacuum cleaner.

“Why is daddy crying?” he questions worriedly, rushing over to towards them. “Is it because I asked for the kitty?” he presses further, his bottom lip wobbling as he’s pulled into a hug by Kyungsoo who’s finally calmed down.

“You can have the cat,” he sighs, sniffling a little as Minseok hugs onto his waist.

“Really?” Minseok beams, giving them both a gummy smile when he receives two matching nods. “You’re the best dad’s in the world!” he squeals, leaning up to give them both a kiss on the cheek. “I love you!” he giggles before rushing over to call Luhan, vacuum completely forgotten about.

Kyungsoo sighs, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as Jongin hugs onto his waist.

“Monggu won’t like this,” he states seriously, looking over at the mini poodle who’s chewing on a doggy bone.

“My mom never let me have pets when I was younger. I always wanted a black and white tabby though. I was going to name him fluffy if I ever got one.” Kyungsoo responds, resting his head against Jongin’s temple.

“Well I guess Minseok finally gets to help fulfill your wish with Luhan’s random stray cat,” Jongin chuckles, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

“What are the odds of even finding a pregnant stray cat anyways?” Kyungsoo questions curiously, going back to his seat to finish his pancakes before they get cold.

“I dunno,” Jongin shrugs, sharing a smile from across the table. “Must have been fate.”


	2. Epilogue

Minseok shivers as another blast of cold air hits him, pulling his winter coat closed as he shifts on his feet, shoving his hands in his pockets as he waits for Luhan to come out of the store they were just in.

So far he’s spent every day this week shopping for Christmas presents for his daddy and he’s come up with nothing. Not even a clue as to what to give him.

Luhan emerges not more than a minute later, several bags in his hands as he rushes over to where he’s patiently waiting.

“You should have waited inside, it’s cold out here,” he scolds and he flushes lightly because that’s something a _boyfriend_ would say. But Luhan isn’t his boyfriend.

“I’m fine, I like the cold,” he mutters despite the chill that’s going through his body, he’s content with the cold. He hates when it gets too hot and he gets all sweaty. It makes him feel gross.

“Your dad’s will kill me if you get sick though, so lets go get some coffee,” Luhan responds, motioning towards the little coffee shop down the road so he follows by closely, but not too close to cause suspicion.

When they enter the shop its warm and quiet, the weather too bad for anyone to actually venture out today but that isn’t stopping him from finding his daddy the best Christmas present ever. Especially since he’s been sick lately, a sinus infection and bronchitis just a week before Christmas has definitely put him in a sad mood.

He hates when his daddy gets sick, it makes him feel nervous and like its his fault somehow, even though he knows it isn’t.

“So what are you going to get him, Christmas is in a week,” Luhan speaks up after they’ve gotten their coffee and he sighs, shrugging his shoulders. He doesn’t have a clue what to get him that’s not just another fgift.

He wants to get him something _meaningful_ but he doesn’t know _what_.

“He’ll like whatever you get him, hell, you probably don’t even have to bother,” Luhan observes and he scrunches his nose up in disagreement.

“He deserves something nice,” he replies sternly, trying to rack his brain for ideas but coming up with nothing.

It certainly doesn’t help that Luhan is wearing a beanie that makes him look highly attractive. It’s messing with his head.

“I’m going to go home early, I need to think,” he mutters, standing up and frowning when Luhan doesn’t move to follow. “Um, I’ll see you later?” he questions, frowning even more when the younger boy just nods his head and smiles, not even offering to walk him home.

He shakes his head as he walks out of the coffee shop, cup in hand as he heads down the street towards their cozy apartment. They never could decide on a house so they ended up moving into a larger apartment complex instead.

His room is larger now, no longer filled with spongebob (not to the public eye that is) and his cat sleeps on his bed half the time. Monggu and him get along just fine but cats are lazy and his room is ideal for quiet.

Walking up to the front door he fishes for his key, sniffling slightly when he opens the door and walks into the warm air, taking off his shoes and hanging up his coat as he heads towards the living room.

He frowns as he steps into the living room to see his eldest dad asleep on the couch, a blanket pulled around him with a box of tissues near his head, the television is running in the background and his other dad is nowhere in sight.

Sighing he heads over to grab the remote and turns off the television. It ends up waking his dad and he crouches over to give him a kiss on the cheek.

“Did I wake you up?” he questions worriedly, already feeling bad for disturbing his nap, god knows he needs his rest these days.

“I’m fine, but why are you so cold?” his dad asks, coughing slightly as he sits up and he rushes to help him, making sure he’s still snuggled up in his blanket.

“I was shopping with Luhan,” he mumbles.

And his dad only accepts the answer because he’s sick, otherwise he would be glaring at something or another because he still isn’t all that happy with Luhan liking him. Or how he used to like him, Minseok isn’t too sure anymore.

“Do you need anything daddy?” he questions, thinking to make him some tea with honey or some soup. Anything warm and comforting really.

“Your dad went to go get food,” Kyungsoo responds, coughing again as he lies back down, too tired to do anything other than sleep right now, but he wants to make sure Minseok is taken of first. “You should go take a warm shower so you don’t get sick.”

“I’m fine daddy,” Minseok sighs, giving him another kiss on the cheek before telling him to rest and taking up the suggestion to go shower. He _is_ pretty cold still.

When he comes back into the living room his other dad is already home, handing his daddy some soup and telling him there’s takeout on the table that he rushes to go eat, starving from all the walking he did today.

“My hand isn’t broken, Jongin, I can feed myself,” Kyungsoo grumbles, slightly glaring at his husband.

“You’re sick, so I’m taking care of you, now say _ah_ ,” Jongin replies with a smile and he only complies because he’s too tired to fight him on this.

“I’m older than you,” he reminds him, stifling a yawn as Jongin makes him take a sip of gatorade.

“I’m aware,” Jongin replies, leaning over to kiss the elder’s forehead and handing him his soup so he can go find his antibiotic.

He notices Minseok picking at his take out, looking down so he lets Kyungsoo eat on his own for a while, sitting down next to him at the table.

“Are you okay?” he questions, reaching over to ruffle the teens hair. Minseok frowns at him, swatting his hand away irritably so he backs off, because sometimes he forgets how teenagers have way too many hormones.

“I'm not a baby,” Minseok grumbles, eating his takeout with a scowl and he rolls his eyes before backing off.

“Well when you want to talk about why you’re acting like one, then come find me,” he states, getting up from the table to go give Kyungsoo his antibiotic.

Minseok watches his dads silently, wanting to gag at how cheesy they are. His youngest dad is too corny, his daddy must think so too because he’s red in the cheeks when he gets lifted to be taken to bed. It’s not even fully dark out but his daddy gets tired easily since he’s been sick.

With them gone he finishes his food, putting up his chopsticks when his dad comes back to the kitchen, looking tired and worn out and he feels bad for getting an attitude with him earlier.

“I don’t know what to get daddy for Christmas,” he mumbles, messing with his sleeves nervously as his dad sits at the table to eat his food.

“You don’t have to get him anything.” Jongin replies, picking a chunk of rice up with his chopsticks and eating. “He’ll love anything you get him, Minseok.”

And the fifteen year old rolls his eyes, expecting such an answer but it still doesn’t help. He wants to get his daddy something _special_.

“I’m going to go read,” he sighs, dragging himself to his room. Seeing an old photo album near his books he grabs it, feeling way too nostalgic for a teenager, but he cuddles into his comforter, flipping through pages of photographs, smiling and feeling embarrassed at the same time.

He recalls Jongin taking care of him when he was younger, how he didn’t really get why he was suddenly his dad too but he liked it all the same.

Vaguely he can remember their old apartment and his spongebob themed room. He had no idea _how_ his daddy afforded all that stuff with his job, he honestly doesn’t understand to this day. They were broker than broke.

Seeing pictures of how tired and thin his dad was back then makes him feel bad, because he worked and worked just so he could have a spongebob doll or a gary alarm clock.

He owes his daddy for all that, so when he flips to the last page and sees a very unfamiliar picture he tilts his head, brows furrowing as he sees someone with his daddy that isn’t Ryeowook.

This guy is not that much older than his dad who looks tiny, maybe his age in the picture. What strikes him is that they look nearly identical. Maybe his daddy’s eyes are a little wider, his shoulders a little narrower. But the resemblance is uncanny and he’s sprinting to the kitchen to investigate.

“Dad!” he screams only to wince when the man glares at him, pointing to his and his daddy’s room where the elder is sleeping.

“Sorry,” he pouts before sobering up and remembering what he came in for. “Is this daddy’s brother?” he questions, handing over the picture and waiting patiently for his dad to say anything.

“Where’d you get this from?” Jongin questions, looking at Minseok with wide eyes because he could have sworn Kyungsoo had this hidden in the closet somewhere.

“It was in my photo album! I didn’t steal it I swear!” Minseok rushes out, looking panicky and he smiles, ruffling his hair despite the pout it earns him.

“Yes, that’s his brother,” he replies, turning on the sink and waiting for the tap water to get warm so he can wash the dishes they have piled up.

“What’s his name?” Minseok asks curiously, the wheels in his brain already turning. Jongin misses the look on the fifteen year old’s face, too concerned with which dish soap to use.

“Uh, Seungsoo,” he replies, deciding on that olay crap that’s good for your hands or something, yet cleans dishes. Why did Kyungsoo buy this? Was it on sale?

“Soo, like daddy,” Minseok says out loud and he nods before looking up to see Minseok sprinting off to his room.

“Such a weird kid,” he mutters.

  


\--

  


“You want to find your dad’s long lost brother?” Luhan questions, swatting Chanyeol’s hand from where he was about to steal several french-fries.

“Yes!” Minseok chirps excitedly.

What would be more meaningful than reuniting his daddy with his brother? It’s perfect. He just has no idea how to find him.

“What if he got married and changed his name?” Chanyeol questions, usually never contributing anything smart to their conversations so this is new.

“I don’t think he would,” he mumbles, biting his lip because he honestly doesn’t know a thing about him.

All he knows is that he was off at university when his dad was kicked out and he never got to say goodbye to him. They were close, very close, but his daddy said his mom never let him contact them once he was moved in with Ryeowook, and he stopped trying after a while.

“I really want to do this, so will you two help me?” he questions, putting on his best pleading face while looking at his friends.

Chanyeol sighs, because he can’t deny his hyung anything and Luhan flushes, because Minseok is cute and it’s a problem.

“We’ll help,” he mumbles, turning red when the elder pulls them into a hug. He glares at Chanyeol for laughing.

  


\--

  


There’s a total of five Do Seungsoo’s within a hundred mile radius when they look up his name. There’s one nearby that turns out to be a writer, age seventy and definitely not his uncle. There's another that ends up being a barista, only seventeen and definitely not his uncle either. 

But they keep trying, making all day trips across town, getting caught in the cold winter rain a couple of times and always coming out empty handed.

Minseok thinks its hopeless when they only have one address left, it’s nearby and he’s skeptical because he doubts its him. How could he be living so near to them without realizing it all these years.

“It’s hopeless,” he sulks as they get on the bus, having to stand so the elderly can sit.

“Fix your attitude!” Chanyeol chirps, way too hyper and Minseok can only assume because its Christmas eve and there’s always a reason to be happy on such a day.

“Yeah, for all you know this could be him and you’re over here pouting like a baby,” Luhan emphasizes and he frowns, shoving his on the arm for the comment.

“You look more like a baby than I do!” he shouts, shoving Luhan on the head before heading towards the exit.

The younger two males follow closely, conversing in hushed whispers that he doesn’t care to make out as he follows the directions he wrote on a spare piece of paper. He pauses when they arrive at their destination, a little ramyeon shop that is surprisingly open.

They all walk inside, looking around and Chanyeol freaks when there’s a little koi pond, dragging Luhan with him and they both stare in awe.

He hesitates to go to the front counter, fidgeting with his hands because he’s still shy, even at fifteen. Nervously he tries to get the hosts attention but with Luhan and Chanyeol being as loud as they can be, his tiny voice gets drowned out.

“Ex-excuse me?” he questions a little bit louder, inching backwards when the young man looks up at him with a bored look.

“Yes?” He drawls out, obviously not happy about working on a semi-holiday.

“Um, is there a Do Seungsoo that works here?” he questions in a small voice, flinching when Luhan puts his arm around his shoulders.

“He’s the owner, why?”

“Well, um,” he pauses, no idea what to say without spilling his entire life story. He can’t just tell some random worker that the man is his uncle whom he’s never met.

Luhan must take note of his nervousness so he speaks up for him.

“We really need to talk to him about something, can we do that?” Luhan blurts, he and Chanyeol giving the man matching smiles but he looks unaffected.

“He’s right there,” the adult sighs, pointing behind him and they all turn to see a man enter the restaurant, taking off his hat and ruffling his hair.

And Minseok gapes because he looks like the semi taller, broader shouldered, less bug eyed version of his daddy.

“Bingo,” Chanyeol whispers, pushing him forward and he squeaks, looking up at the elder with wide eyes.

“May I help you?” he questions and he gapes a second time because even their voices sound the same.

It takes a while for him to find his bearings, clearing his throat awkwardly before he shoves his hand in his pocket, looking for the photo he needs and then hesitantly pulling it out, shifting on his feet before handing it over with shaky hands.

“Is this you?” he questions as a precaution, god forbid this is one huge coincidence and the man just looks like his daddy.

But when he sees his eyes widen, obviously shocked he knows his answer.

“Where did you get this?” he questions, staring at the photo like he’s just seen a ghost.

“He’s your brother, right?” he asks, fidgeting with his hands some more until Luhan stops him and he smiles shyly when the younger boy gives him a look.

“How did you know, where did you get this?”

Minseok squirms in his spot, biting his lip harshly and if he were at home he’s get scolded for the bad habit but he’s not, and he’s thankful for that at least.

“It’s my dad,” he blurts, looking up with hopeful eyes. “Kyungsoo is my dad.”

The elder looks at him with wide eyes, his dad pulls the same look he notes, before a look of realization dawns on him.

“How about we talk over some food?” he questions softly and Minseok nods his head.

  


\--

  


Kyungsoo sighs as he lays curled up on the couch, waiting for Jongin to finish up their lunch. He’s actually got an appetite today, his cough is nearly gone and he feels a whole lot perkier than he did several days ago.

His antibiotics are working wonders and he only has a couple more pills to take before he hopes he’s back to normal.

He smiles when Jongin tells him its ready, getting up from his cocoon on the couch and making his way to the kitchen, smiling when he sees soup.

“Aw, you made me alphabet soup, Jongin ah?” he questions, getting a blush from his husband that he finds adorable, even after all this time.

“Don’t say I never do anything for you,” Jongin mumbles, laughing when Kyungsoo gets out of his chair to give him a hug and a kiss.

“ _Thank you_ for taking care of me,” Kyungsoo replies, sitting back down and eating his soup happily, occasionally sipping on his sprite.

As he finishes up his soup he heads for the fridge to find a pudding cup, smiling happily when he finds one before realizing the time.

“Where’s Minseok?” he questions, frowning when he realizes he hasn’t actually seen him for a while.

“He went out with Chanyeol and Luhan,” Jongin replies, getting up to help with the dishes again.

“Shouldn’t he be home by now? Did you not give him a curfew?” Kyungsoo questions him, about to nag some more when they hear the front door opening.

Jongin gives him a pointed look that he ignores as he goes to greet their son at the door and nag _him_ instead because Minseok should at least call to let him know when he’s coming home.

“Where were you?” he questions once Minseok is in the hallway, his hoodie a little wet from the snow and his eyes wide as can be.

“I was with my friends, dad said it was okay?” Minseok questions worriedly, pouting his lips because he doesn’t want to be scolded.

“You didn’t call me,” Kyungsoo states, frowning but pulling Minseok into a hug. “And you’re all cold!”

“I’m fine, daddy,” Minseok sighs, fidgeting with his hands, “But um, I brought you a gift,” he states, tugging his dad towards the door.

Kyungsoo frowns, “Minseok ah you didn’t have to get me anything, besides Christmas is tomorrow,” he starts off but Minseok ignores him and brings him towards the door.

“You’ll really like it,” Minseok says fixing his hair for him and he laughs slightly, wondering what’s up with his kid.

He watches amusedly as Minseok goes to open the door, peeking his head out and talking to someone, he hears a reply that sounds a whole lot like Luhan and he internally groans. He doesn’t want that kid as a gift. He’d be lucky if Sehun took him to china to go visit Yixing.

“Um, promise you won’t cry? Your face is kinda,” Minseok trails off and he glares slightly, about to go off on his teenager when he opens the door.

And Kyungsoo expects to see Luhan with some random gift in his hands, because the teen has been trying to suck up to him for the longest time and he knows its bcause he wants to date Minseok. And he doesn’t like it but he’s willing to put that aside for his son’s sake.

But what he sees isn’t Luhan. It’s someone he recognizes instantly and he feels his entire world stop, eyes wide and brimming with tears. He wants to cry, but he knows he looks ugly when he cries and his hyung will only make fun of him for it so he hugs him instead. He hasn't seen his brother in years and yet here he is on his front door step and he couldn't be any happier than when he first saw Minseok smile, when he first called him daddy, or when Jongin told him he loved him for the first time, or when Jongin asked to marry him.

"Quit crying, you look ugly when you cry," Seungsoo scolds him and he only cries harder, hugging onto his hyung tightly.

"You're uglier than I'll ever be," he retorts, sniffling as his brother calms him down.

Minseok watches the exchange happily with Luhan by his side, beaming at being able to give his daddy the perfect gift.

His long lost uncle was looking for his younger brother for _years_ apparently, but was never able to find him properly due to the name change when he married his dad. But he didn’t give up hope, searching and searching although he never found him. This entire time he had been looking for his daddy.

It was pure fate that made Minseok find that picture that lead him to his uncle’s small restaurant and he’s thankful for however that it ended up in the wrong spot.

His daddy and uncle cry for a bit before moving to go inside, his dad smiling despite the fact that his eyes are all red and puffy and he moves to follow before someone tugs on his sleeve.

“I should be going,” Luhan mumbles, fidgeting with his hands and he nods his head, looking back towards the door where his family is waiting for him.

“Thank you for helping me,” he replies, giving the younger boy a smile that has his cheeks flushing.

“Maybe when the holiday is over, uh, we can go on a date?” Luhan questions quickly, almost fumbling over his words. “If your dad says its okay that is.”

Minseok flushes, fighting back a smile as he nods his head, nearly squealing when Luhan gives him a quick peck on the cheek before rushing down the hallway and towards the elevators.

Only after his uncle has left, promising to visit tomorrow with his family, does Minseok get a chance to snuggle on the couch with his daddy. He smiles contently as his hair gets messed with, burying his face underneath his daddy’s chin as he hums him a song.

He’s been told thank you countless times, his cheeks have been smothered in kisses and he’s been promised he can have his favorite food tomorrow for dinner.

But he still has one last request from his parents.

“Um, daddy?” he whispers, trying not to be too loud just in case he’s sleepy.

“Hm?” Kyungsoo hums, looking away from the television and down at the mop of brown hair underneath his chin.

“Can I go on a date with Luhan?”

Jongin looks up from his spot on the recliner, biting his lip from laughing at the expression on his husband’s face when he begrudgingly says yes. Minseok squeals, telling him thank you over and over again before rushing to go call the younger boy despite the time.

Jongin smiles as his husband starts whining about the entire situation, how he was _bribed_ into it all. It took him over ten years, but Jongin laughs because he finally gave into Luhan’s request.

Now if only he could convince him they should adopt another child.

  


But he’s willing to wait, since there’s no need to rush. He’ll just let fate take its course.


End file.
